Which You Should Avoid Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet
Which You Should Avoid Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet
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We've encountered this article relating to 4 Reasons Why Dog Poop Cleanup is Important down the page on the internet and felt it made perfect sense to discuss it with you on my blog.
When it involves taking care of waste, specifically animal waste, lots of people often consider the hassle-free choice of flushing it down the commode. However, this seemingly very easy remedy can have significant repercussions for the setting and public health. In this article, we'll check out why flushing pet waste down the commode is a negative concept and offer different approaches for proper disposal.
Introduction
Appropriate waste disposal is crucial for maintaining ecological sustainability and public health. While it might seem safe to flush animal waste down the toilet, it can result in various concerns, both for the atmosphere and human well-being.
Dangers of flushing animal waste
Environmental impact
Purging pet waste introduces damaging bacteria and microorganisms right into waterways, which can negatively influence marine ecosystems. These virus can contaminate water resources and damage aquatic life, disrupting fragile environments.
Public health concerns
Pet waste consists of damaging germs such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can pose major health and wellness dangers to human beings. Purging animal waste down the toilet can contaminate water supplies, resulting in the spread of diseases and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
Instead of flushing pet waste down the bathroom, there are several alternative disposal methods that are extra environmentally friendly and hygienic.
Composting
Composting animal waste is an environment-friendly method to throw away it. By composting, raw material is broken down into nutrient-rich soil, which can be made use of to feed gardens and plants.
Land fill disposal
Taking care of animal waste in a garbage dump is an additional choice. While not as eco-friendly as composting, it is a much safer alternative to flushing, as it stops the contamination of water sources.
Pet dog garbage disposal systems
There are specialized family pet waste disposal systems readily available that safely and hygienically get rid of pet waste. These systems typically make use of enzymes to break down waste and eliminate odors.
Steps to appropriate pet waste disposal
To ensure correct disposal of pet waste, comply with these actions:
Scooping and bagging waste
Consistently scoop and bag animal waste using naturally degradable bags. This protects against waste from polluting the environment.
Utilizing designated waste containers
Dispose of bagged animal waste in marked waste containers, such as compost bins or land fill bins. Stay clear of flushing it down the commode in any way prices.
Cleaning litter boxes and pet dog areas regularly
On a regular basis tidy litter boxes and pet locations to avoid the buildup of waste and microorganisms. Use pet-safe cleansing items to preserve hygiene.
Advantages of proper disposal methods
Adopting appropriate disposal techniques for animal waste supplies numerous benefits:
Reduced environmental pollution
Appropriate disposal techniques minimize the risk of environmental pollution, securing waterways and ecological communities from contamination
Lessened risk of water contamination.
By staying clear of flushing animal waste down the toilet, the risk of water contamination is significantly minimized, protecting public health.
Enhanced cleanliness and hygiene
Appropriate disposal approaches advertise far better sanitation and health, creating a safer atmosphere for both human beings and pets.
Verdict
To conclude, purging animal waste down the bathroom is hazardous to the environment and public health. By adopting alternate disposal methods and adhering to appropriate waste management techniques, we can lessen the unfavorable impact of pet waste and contribute to a cleaner, healthier earth.
Can You Flush Dog and Cat Poo Down the Toilet?
Cat poo often contains a highly resistant parasite called Toxoplasma that can infect people and animals. Many municipal water treatments do not have equipment or processes to kill it (as they're designed for humans who don't poop this parasite!) meaning it would pass into our waterways, posing a risk to humans and animals alike. It can even prove fatal for some wildlife.
Many studies have shown that so called biodegradable and 'flushable' products, including flushable poo bags, don't actually disintegrate as claimed. This is primarily because they're designed to biodegrade in warm water, not cold water, like that in our toilets. In fact, 'flushable' poo bags have historically caused $8 million in blockages in Australia so it's not recommended to try flushing these bags, despite what they claim! The same goes for cat litter. Our old sewage systems are only designed for the 3 P's - Pee, Poo and Paper and can easily get blocked if anything else is thrown in.
So what about dog poo (without the bags)?
Again, dog poo is considerably different to human poo. It contains twice the harmful bacteria and viruses and also contains unique parasites. One particular parasite, Toxocara, is highly resistant to high temperatures. Our water treatment facilities are not designed to deal with dog poo pathogens such as this so there's a chance that they will pass through and contaminate our waterways if flushed down the toilet. Toxocara can also infect humans, causing blindness in children and infect animals so presents a public health risk. This is why many waste water treatment plants advise against flushing any type of pet poo down the toilet, due to the extra pathogens it contains.
Dog and cat poo can also contain medicines, such as parasite treatments, which can be highly toxic to aquatic life and may threaten the stability of entire ecosystems. Medicines are much trickier to clean from sewage and will likely pass unchanged into our waterways.
Scalability
There's also the question of whether flushing pet waste could really ever be a viable widespread solution. Could our old sewage systems really cope with the additional faeces of 12 million dogs and 10 million cats if everyone starting flushing their pet's poo? It's unlikely!
We contacted Wessex Water and South West Water on the matter of flushing pet poo and both gave different answers. The former advised it was safe to do so, while the latter strongly advised against it! This may be due to their different treatment processes which can vary depending on location. However both water companies agreed that you should never flush any 'flushable' products down the toilet, even if they claim to be safe to flush as in real world this just simply isn't the case and they often cause costly blockages. They emphasised that only the three P's - Poo, Paper and Pee should ever be flushed down the toilet.
Conclusion
In summary, never flush biodegradable or 'flushable' poo bags or cat litter down the toilet. We also feel it's safer to avoid flushing cat and dog faeces, due to it's pathogenic content, the unknown risks of parasite treatments and medicines on wildlife and the wider environment and due to the inconsistent advice. Dog poo may be disposed in a well managed compost or wormery, rather than down the toilet. If you are still really keen to flush pet poo, make sure you speak to your local water treatment plant before you do so, as they may or may not have the treatments to safely process it.
If you dispose of your pet's waste in general waste then ensure to do so in the most eco-friendly way by using recycled poo bags such as Award Winning ReSEAcled poo bags. Experts advice it's better to re-use waste that was already destined for landfill or incineration rather than using poo bags made form virgin materials because this helps reduce plastic production, reduce plastic pollution and cuts carbon emissions and energy use. ReSEAcled poo bags are also the world's first Plastic Negative poo bags, removing 5 times as much plastic from the environment than they use! Click here to learn more.
https://petimpact.co.uk/blogs/poo-revolution/can-you-flush-pet-poo-down-the-toilet
On a regular basis tidy litter boxes and pet locations to avoid the buildup of waste and microorganisms. Use pet-safe cleansing items to preserve hygiene.
Advantages of proper disposal methods
Adopting appropriate disposal techniques for animal waste supplies numerous benefits:
Reduced environmental pollution
Appropriate disposal techniques minimize the risk of environmental pollution, securing waterways and ecological communities from contamination
Lessened risk of water contamination.
By staying clear of flushing animal waste down the toilet, the risk of water contamination is significantly minimized, protecting public health.
Enhanced cleanliness and hygiene
Appropriate disposal approaches advertise far better sanitation and health, creating a safer atmosphere for both human beings and pets.
Verdict
To conclude, purging animal waste down the bathroom is hazardous to the environment and public health. By adopting alternate disposal methods and adhering to appropriate waste management techniques, we can lessen the unfavorable impact of pet waste and contribute to a cleaner, healthier earth.
Can You Flush Dog and Cat Poo Down the Toilet?
Cat poo often contains a highly resistant parasite called Toxoplasma that can infect people and animals. Many municipal water treatments do not have equipment or processes to kill it (as they're designed for humans who don't poop this parasite!) meaning it would pass into our waterways, posing a risk to humans and animals alike. It can even prove fatal for some wildlife.
Many studies have shown that so called biodegradable and 'flushable' products, including flushable poo bags, don't actually disintegrate as claimed. This is primarily because they're designed to biodegrade in warm water, not cold water, like that in our toilets. In fact, 'flushable' poo bags have historically caused $8 million in blockages in Australia so it's not recommended to try flushing these bags, despite what they claim! The same goes for cat litter. Our old sewage systems are only designed for the 3 P's - Pee, Poo and Paper and can easily get blocked if anything else is thrown in.
So what about dog poo (without the bags)?
Again, dog poo is considerably different to human poo. It contains twice the harmful bacteria and viruses and also contains unique parasites. One particular parasite, Toxocara, is highly resistant to high temperatures. Our water treatment facilities are not designed to deal with dog poo pathogens such as this so there's a chance that they will pass through and contaminate our waterways if flushed down the toilet. Toxocara can also infect humans, causing blindness in children and infect animals so presents a public health risk. This is why many waste water treatment plants advise against flushing any type of pet poo down the toilet, due to the extra pathogens it contains.
Dog and cat poo can also contain medicines, such as parasite treatments, which can be highly toxic to aquatic life and may threaten the stability of entire ecosystems. Medicines are much trickier to clean from sewage and will likely pass unchanged into our waterways.
Scalability
There's also the question of whether flushing pet waste could really ever be a viable widespread solution. Could our old sewage systems really cope with the additional faeces of 12 million dogs and 10 million cats if everyone starting flushing their pet's poo? It's unlikely!
We contacted Wessex Water and South West Water on the matter of flushing pet poo and both gave different answers. The former advised it was safe to do so, while the latter strongly advised against it! This may be due to their different treatment processes which can vary depending on location. However both water companies agreed that you should never flush any 'flushable' products down the toilet, even if they claim to be safe to flush as in real world this just simply isn't the case and they often cause costly blockages. They emphasised that only the three P's - Poo, Paper and Pee should ever be flushed down the toilet.
Conclusion
In summary, never flush biodegradable or 'flushable' poo bags or cat litter down the toilet. We also feel it's safer to avoid flushing cat and dog faeces, due to it's pathogenic content, the unknown risks of parasite treatments and medicines on wildlife and the wider environment and due to the inconsistent advice. Dog poo may be disposed in a well managed compost or wormery, rather than down the toilet. If you are still really keen to flush pet poo, make sure you speak to your local water treatment plant before you do so, as they may or may not have the treatments to safely process it.
If you dispose of your pet's waste in general waste then ensure to do so in the most eco-friendly way by using recycled poo bags such as Award Winning ReSEAcled poo bags. Experts advice it's better to re-use waste that was already destined for landfill or incineration rather than using poo bags made form virgin materials because this helps reduce plastic production, reduce plastic pollution and cuts carbon emissions and energy use. ReSEAcled poo bags are also the world's first Plastic Negative poo bags, removing 5 times as much plastic from the environment than they use! Click here to learn more.
https://petimpact.co.uk/blogs/poo-revolution/can-you-flush-pet-poo-down-the-toilet
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