Code of Maine Rules
01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY
001 - AGRICULTURE - GENERAL
Chapter 211 - RULES FOR THE DISPOSAL OF ANIMAL CARCASSES
Section 001-211-9 - DESIGN REQUIREMENTS FOR ROUTINE AND CATASTROPHIC ANIMAL CARCASS BURIAL TRENCHES

Universal Citation: 01 ME Code Rules ยง 001-211-9

Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024

1. Plan Development - Plans shall be developed by an NRCS or State of Maine Certified Soil Scientist, an engineer, a geologist, a qualified Soil and Water Conservation District employee or other qualified individual in accordance with these rules, except as provided in Section 6.

2. Design Required - All burial trenches must be designed and built in accordance with criteria established by these rules.

3. Surface Water - Surface water shall be diverted away from trenches by the use of berms, diversion ditches or other suitable methods.

4. Engineering Techniques - Appropriate engineering techniques shall be used to overcome site-specific limitations, including, but not limited to, adding fill, installing curtain drains or diversion ditches and using clay liners.

5. Carcasses Limed - Carcasses shall be limed if burial takes place during the summer months (June 1 to September 30 of each year) to prevent offensive odors.

6. Cover Fill - Cover fill depth shall be a minimum of 18 inches and shall be of sandy loam or loamy sand texture. A 24 inch layer of compost may be used in place of soil as fill.

7. Fill Extensions - When fill is applied to a site to meet minimum separation distances, the fill materials shall grade to existing ground surface at no steeper than 3:1 or 33 percent slope.

8. Incidental Inclusions of Other Materials - Provisions shall be made to separate carcasses from other materials except that minor amounts of inorganic debris, or small quantities of manure, bedding and feed are acceptable for burial with carcasses.

9. Winter Storage - Provisions shall be made for winter storage or alternative disposal if burial is the main disposal method.

10. Inspection - Burial trenches shall be periodically inspected to assure that the site is secure. Any evidence of breakouts shall be immediately addressed by liming and re-covering with soil.

11. Animal Carcass Thickness - Animal carcasses shall be piled no thicker than two feet (2') or the thickness of one large animal, except as follows:

A. Farm operations and other regulated facilities which dispose of 500 lbs. or less of animal carcasses by burial, and which do not utilize the services of a professional for site selection or design, shall pile carcasses no thicker than 12 inches or the thickness of one carcass.

B. Variances may be granted for carcass thickness by the Commissioner when site selection and plan design is provided by a qualified professional. Whenever a variance is granted, the separation distance listed in Table 2 shall be increased by 6 inches for each 12 inch increase in thickness of carcasses.

12. Trench Width and Construction- Burial trenches shall be a maximum of 12 feet wide and shall be constructed along the contour so as to be level.

13. Separation Between Trenches - A burial trench shall be separated from other burial trenches by a minimum distance equal to the trench width or to the toe of the fill for adjoining trenches, whichever is greater. If two trenches are of different widths, the separation distance shall be greater or equal to the wider of the two.

14. Shallow Trench Depth- Excavations for trenches should be kept as shallow as is practicable to facilitate carcass decomposition and utilization of nutrients by soil micro-organisms and plants.

15. Burial at Grade - In order to avoid disturbing the soil structure or to maintain separation from the water table or bedrock, carcasses may be placed on the soil surface and covered with a minimum of eighteen inches of soil or two feet of compost. Place fill or compost on the soil surface to the finished grade height and width of the fill extensions and then excavate trenches into the fill material. Finished grade fill extensions shall be 3:1 or 33%. Trench widths shall be a maximum of 12 feet. Burial mounds shall be stabilized similar to trenches to prevent erosion and sedimentation.

16. Stabilization - Cover material over burial trenches shall be vegetated, covered with bark mulch or erosion control mulch, or otherwise stabilized to prevent erosion.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Maine may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.