Maryland State Highway Administration Adds Interesting Compost Ingredient
When considering good things to compost, the last thing most people think of is a deer carcass.
But that’s exactly what’s happening along the highway in New Market, Maryland, reports The Examiner.
Rather than just removing the deer carcasses and burying them, the State Highway Administration turns the carcasses into compost. The compost is used to help grow roadside grass and wild flowers.
The process is environmentally friendly and saves money. The first facility designed to collect the deer was built in 2001, and a second facility opened this year. The deceased deer are mixed in with sawdust, horse manure and wood chips. To date, 3,600 deer have become compost.
A State Highway Administration officer got the idea from a similar program in West Virginia, where compost is made from hog carcasses.
Looking to start your own compost? Get the basics with Earth911.
