Large manure spill discharges waste into Tillamook Bay

TILLAMOOK, Ore. (AP) — A manure spill at the Port of Tillamook Bay has discharged about 300,000 gallons of treated liquid waste into waterways in the area.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Wednesday that the manure had been held in an anaerobic digester tank, which breaks down dung into biogas that can be used for electricity and fertilizer for farms and agriculture.

Lauren Wirtis, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Environmental Quality, says anaerobic digestion creates fewer pathogens and makes the manure less harmful than raw sewage.

State officials are conducting tests on water samples from Tillamook Bay and a tributary of the Tillamook River.

They have yet to shut down Tillamook Bay or impose restrictions on commercial and recreational shellfish harvesting.

The spill was discovered Monday.