The AVMA has established several policies and resources to guide the veterinary community on proper waste disposal. These include policies on carcass disposal, risks from animal carcasses during natural disasters, and animal agriculture waste management. The AVMA advocates for safe, environmentally responsible disposal and supports research on disposal methods. It has developed websites with information on federal regulations, state disposal resources, and clinical guidance. The AVMA also engages in advocacy on related issues and regulatory proposals. The goal is to increase awareness of proper waste disposal procedures and their importance.

1. Waste Disposal by the Veterinary Community
Kristi Henderson, DVM, American Veterinary Medical Association
Association Activities and Products:
The AVMA has established policies related to the disposal of animal waste and carcass disposal. Three key policies include
“Appropriate Animal Carcass Disposal,” “Animal Carcass Risk in Natural Disasters,” and “Animal Agriculture Waste Management.”
All of the AVMA policies related to waste issues can be found under “Knowledge Base” at www.avma.org
The AVMA advocates safe and environmentally responsible disposal of animal carcasses, whether on an individual animal basis or
during mass mortality events. As such, the AVMA supports increased research and education towards the development of appropriate
methods and guidelines for animal carcass disposal.
- AVMA Policy on Appropriate Animal Carcass Disposal
Consistent with current scientific literature and the conclusions of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the AVMA
recognizes that animals that die from injuries, in cases of natural disasters, generally do not represent a health hazard for humans.
The presence of dead bodies that result from a disaster, without the presence of another risk factor, is not the cause for the spread of
infectious diseases. (1PAHO Manual, Ch 3, Conclusions; p. 81. Washington, )
including massive animal deaths 1
Management of Dead Bodies in Disaster Situations, Disaster Manuals and Guidelines Series,
number 5. Pan American Health Organization, Area on Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Relief, and the World Health
Organization, Department for Health Action in CrisisDC, 2004.
- AVMA Policy on Animal Carcass Risk in Natural Disasters
The AVMA supports the basic premises of current federal and state legislation and regulations enacted to prevent negative
environmental impacts from wastes generated by terrestrial or aquatic animal productions. Veterinarians should be aware of the
value, potential hazards, and legal restrictions concerning animal waste.
Therefore the AVMA supports the following:
• Education, outreach, and extension programs to assist producers in meeting or exceeding current federal and state requirements.
This includes aid in establishing and implementing nutrient management plans as well as design and construction of effective
waste management facilities to prevent contamination of the environment.
• Science based research on animal waste management systems and procedures to allow animal waste materials to be utilized as
nutrient sources for sustainable agriculture systems.
• Scientific studies of the impact of pathogens and chemicals from animal/human waste sources on the environment.
- AVMA Policy on Animal Agriculture Waste Management
Additionally, the AVMA has developed the microsite, www.avma.org/wastedisposal.
Sections of the microsite addressing topics such as “Federal Regulations of Waste
Disposal,” “State-based Waste Disposal Resources,” and “AVMA Policies Relevant
to Waste Disposal,” are accessible by the general public. Specific “Clinical Resources”
pages, such as “Animal Carcass Disposal,” “Animal Waste Disposal,” “Recordkeeping,”
and more are accessible only by AVMA members. On a similar note and because of
its expertise, the Association was consulted during the development of the Veterinary
Compliance Assistance (VetCA) website (www.vetca.org) by the National Center
for Manufacturing Sciences under the National Compliance Assistance Centers
program. Funding for this latter project has been provided by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency.
The “Green Veterinary Practices” microsite has also been developed by the AVMA.
The web pages provide AVMA members and the public information on sustainable
practices. Not only does the site discuss what the AVMA is doing, it also provides
resources for integrating eco-friendly features into veterinary practices as well as
opportunities for including eco-friendly practices in facility designs.
In addition to policy and resource development,
the AMVA is active in advocacy. Related
to waste issues, the Association has weighed
in on Federal Register items such as Docket
Number [EPA-HQ-OW-2011-0188], the
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) Concentrated Animal
Feeding Operation (CAFO) Reporting Rule
and Docket Number [EPA-OW-2011-0466],
Draft Recreational Water Quality Criteria and
Request for Scientific Views. To view all of the
AVMA’s advocacy information, please click on
“Advocacy” from the AVMA’s home page,
www.avma.org.
Take-home message:
Integrative efforts of
multiple disciplines and
stakeholders are needed to
better enhance the science
of waste management as
well as to help bridge the
gaps between such science
and sociopolitical opinions.
Introduction and Purpose:
The American Veterinary Medical Association
(AVMA) offers several resources to its members
and the public regarding various disposal issues
encountered by the veterinary community and
animal owners. With its veterinary medical
expertise, the veterinary profession can be a
valuable resource for clients, the general public,
regulators, and other stakeholders on carcass and
other animal waste disposal issues, especially those
involving potential health risks to other animals
or the public. The purpose in developing these
resources is to further increase awareness by the
veterinary profession and its stakeholders of the
value, potential hazards, and legal restrictions
concerning disposal of animal waste and carcasses.
In addition to the pharmaceutical disposal information within the
aforementioned resources, the AVMA has partnered with the National
Sea Grant Office (NSGO), Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research,
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S.
Department of Commerce to combine efforts and develop a joint
outreach and educational campaign for veterinary clients regarding proper
pharmaceutical disposal. Information and products associated with the
collaborative effort are available at www.avma.org/unwantedmeds.
Less specific to waste and sustainability issues, but still deserving of
mention relative to animal agriculture and its interconnections with
environmental and public health are the AVMA microsites, “Food
Supply Veterinary Medicine” (www.avma.org/fsvm), “One Health”
(www.avma.org/onehealth), and “Keep Our Food Safe”
(www.keepourfoodsafe.org). The resources are available to
member and the public.