Oregon Public Broadcasting

Morrow County in eastern Oregon will soon have the state’s first compost facility for roadkill.  Pete Springer reports.

The roadkill compost site will be at an ODOT maintenance facility outside the small town of Lexington. 

ODOT workers will haul roadside carcasses to the site instead of letting them decompose where they are.

County officials estimate they find about one new roadkill -- mostly deer, sheep, and cattle -- every day. 

The compost facility will help protect groundwater as well as keeping scavengers like coyotes away from roads.

Karla McLane is the planning director for Morrow County.

She says it takes longer to compost animal carcasses than plants, but it works in a similar manner.

Karla McLane “At that right temperature and that right moisture content, with the correct mix of green and brown material, it takes about 90 days.  And you turn that pile every 20 days, give or take.”

Compost from the site will be used for ODOT plantings along state highways.