The bird flu epidemic was so bad that Japan ran out of land to bury chickens

The worst outbreak of bird flu has forced Japan to cull millions of chickens, creating a headache about where to bury them .

Japan is facing a shortage of places to bury dead chickens after more than 17 million poultry were culled nationwide since the bird flu season began in October 2022, Bloomberg reported on April 5.

More than 17 million poultry have been culled in Japan because of the current bird flu epidemic. (Photo: Reuters).

Disposing of animal carcasses must be done properly to avoid spreading viruses or contaminating water sources. In that context, local authorities and farmers say there is a lack of suitable land to bury dead chickens, according to NHK .

The case of Japan shows that countries need to reconsider how they deal with bird flu, especially when the number of poultry deaths increases to a record as the virus gradually appears worldwide.

While outbreaks have mainly occurred in Europe, the US and Asia, the disease has spread further to South America in recent months. Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia reported their first cases.

This increases pressure on global meat and egg supplies at a time of rising inflation concerns. The outbreak in Japan has forced companies including McDonald's and 7-Eleven to temporarily stop selling egg-related items or raise prices.

Farmers and authorities often make plans to manage waste including carcasses, feces and personal protective equipment generated during avian flu outbreaks.

However, NHK said the number of chickens destroyed had increased beyond their expectations. Some areas with waste incineration facilities have chosen to burn dead chicken carcasses.