Most local governments are ill-equipped to immediately dispose of meat-and-bone meal, which is suspected of spreading mad cow disease, according to a survey released Wednesday.

The survey showed 35 of the nation's 47 prefectures and seven of Japan's 12 major cities are not yet able to incinerate the meal as requested by the national government.

Many local governments cite technical problems that need to be resolved. For instance, powdered meat-and-bone meal, if put in regular incinerators, either extinguishes the fire or generates abnormally high temperatures, they said.