Napalm, clean burning of livestock

2001/05/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Albaitaritza

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy disease on farms in the UK has killed thousands of animals. In general, these large amounts of waste are burned in the field fires. Fuel is needed to light the fire and wood is normally used. From several places in the United States comes a new proposal, the use of napalm chemical compound.

Napalm is a mixture of a polymeric component and oil. The polymeric component consists of polystyrene and an adhesive. Napalma has excellent combustion properties, as it would burn in an hour what would burn three days with wood. In addition, Ron Anderson, an agriculture expert at the University of Reno, believes it is a very economical solution. The burning of the remains of an animal with wood has a cost of 1,400 pounds sterling, while with napalma only has a couple of pounds.

This substance is often said to be dangerous, but it can now be used in a very controlled manner. In addition, it is not volatile and therefore does not generate large fumes.