This project is sponsored by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the Canadian Research and Technology Initiative. Its purpose is to evaluate the design and performance of a bio-secure swine mortality composting system. The system design, which includes an external plastic biosecurity membrane, was first used during an avian influenza outbreak in British Columbia in 2004. In 2006, the Canadian government requested engineering assistance from ISU to improve the composting system and extend its use to disposal of larger species such as swine. Objectives include evaluation of moisture distribution and loss; the effectiveness of passive aeration devices; the effects of envelope material type on temperature, O2, and decomposition; and identification of volatile organic compounds(VOCs) that might be used to safely assess completion of animal tissue decomposition without disrupting the biosecurity membrane.