The county opened two sites initially but one was closed because of nearby residents' complaints about odor. County officials currently are considering the location of a second site. Animal remains are combined with wood chips collected from the county's Christmas tree recycling program. Other counties in Texas plan to adopt similar programs if the Travis County experiment is successful. Meanwhile, a team of scientists from the University of Florida is attempting to establish grass along the roadsides while reducing nutrient-rich organic wastes in area landfills.
Cities donate the organic waste, which is used as fertilizer along Florida highways.
Travis County collects 200 to 300 dead animals along county roads each year. Similar programs could save Texas counties thousands of dollars, and less landfill space would be consumed. The Florida roadside program has proven much less expensive than importing topsoil and commercial fertilizers. In general, roadside soil is too sandy to hold nutrients or water, making it difficult for grass to grow. This added material helps beautify the roads, prevents erosion and represents a use for roadside trash.