Questions periodically arise during park and open space Master Planning processes, trail planning/development, and other public meetings whether horse manure poses significant health risks to humans. The following paper was developed to help provide information for non-scientists about laws and regulations defining toxic and hazardous wastes, the chemical and pathologic contents of horse manure, and some thoughts about the potential risks to humans exposed to horse manure.
Anyone who reads a newspaper or listens to the evening news is familiar with the dangers of land contaminated by hazardous materials. Cleanup costs can be very high; the property may be unsafe for public use; and the problem may expose the landowner to liability, regardless of who caused the contamination.
Trails are being built in urban, suburban, and rural areas. They are being built on former rail corridors as well as in vast public lands. People use trails for: walking, jogging, biking, in-line skating, skiing; even equestrians, snowmobilers and people in wheelchairs use them. With all these uses in a variety ofsettings come a host of concerns about liability issues.
This report concludes that trail-related liability is primarily a management issue. Laws are in place to protect all parties from unwarranted lawsuits and the rest is up to proper design, maintenance and management.
