Our Threats of Animal Waste in the Toilet
Our Threats of Animal Waste in the Toilet
Blog Article
This post further down relating to Should you flush animal waste down the toilet is absolutely fascinating. Read on and make your own personal conclusions.
When it pertains to dealing with waste, specifically animal waste, lots of people typically resort to the convenient option of flushing it down the commode. However, this seemingly easy remedy can have major consequences for the environment and public health. In this write-up, we'll explore why flushing animal waste down the bathroom is a poor idea and give alternative methods for correct disposal.
Intro
Correct garbage disposal is important for preserving environmental sustainability and public health. While it might appear harmless to purge animal waste down the toilet, it can cause various concerns, both for the atmosphere and human wellness.
Dangers of flushing animal waste
Ecological impact
Flushing animal waste presents harmful microorganisms and pathogens right into rivers, which can adversely impact water ecological communities. These pathogens can pollute water resources and injury marine life, interfering with fragile communities.
Public health problems
Pet waste includes harmful germs such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can present severe health threats to human beings. Flushing pet waste down the commode can pollute water materials, causing the spread of diseases and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
Rather than flushing animal waste down the toilet, there are several different disposal methods that are more eco-friendly and sanitary.
Composting
Composting animal waste is an eco-friendly means to take care of it. By composting, organic matter is broken down into nutrient-rich soil, which can be used to feed gardens and plants.
Land fill disposal
Getting rid of pet waste in a landfill is another option. While not as environmentally friendly as composting, it is a much safer option to flushing, as it prevents the contamination of water resources.
Pet garbage disposal systems
There are customized pet dog garbage disposal systems offered that safely and hygienically get rid of animal waste. These systems commonly use enzymes to break down waste and eliminate smells.
Actions to proper animal garbage disposal
To make certain correct disposal of animal waste, adhere to these steps:
Scooping and landing waste
Routinely scoop and bag animal waste making use of eco-friendly bags. This protects against waste from infecting the setting.
Making use of designated waste containers
Dispose of bagged animal waste in marked waste containers, such as garden compost bins or garbage dump bins. Avoid flushing it down the commode in all prices.
Cleaning can and pet dog locations frequently
Regularly clean litter boxes and pet dog areas to prevent the build-up of waste and bacteria. Usage pet-safe cleaning products to preserve hygiene.
Advantages of appropriate disposal methods
Embracing correct disposal methods for pet waste offers a number of advantages:
Reduced environmental pollution
Appropriate disposal techniques lower the threat of environmental pollution, safeguarding rivers and environments from contamination
Decreased danger of water contamination.
By avoiding flushing pet waste down the bathroom, the threat of water contamination is dramatically minimized, safeguarding public health.
Boosted sanitation and health
Appropriate disposal approaches advertise much better cleanliness and health, developing a safer setting for both humans and animals.
Final thought
To conclude, flushing pet waste down the commode is hazardous to the setting and public health. By embracing alternative disposal methods and adhering to correct waste monitoring practices, we can reduce the negative impact of animal waste and add to a cleaner, much 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
Regularly clean litter boxes and pet dog areas to prevent the build-up of waste and bacteria. Usage pet-safe cleaning products to preserve hygiene.
Advantages of appropriate disposal methods
Embracing correct disposal methods for pet waste offers a number of advantages:
Reduced environmental pollution
Appropriate disposal techniques lower the threat of environmental pollution, safeguarding rivers and environments from contamination
Decreased danger of water contamination.
By avoiding flushing pet waste down the bathroom, the threat of water contamination is dramatically minimized, safeguarding public health.
Boosted sanitation and health
Appropriate disposal approaches advertise much better cleanliness and health, developing a safer setting for both humans and animals.
Final thought
To conclude, flushing pet waste down the commode is hazardous to the setting and public health. By embracing alternative disposal methods and adhering to correct waste monitoring practices, we can reduce the negative impact of animal waste and add to a cleaner, much 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
As a keen person who reads about Don't Flush Your Pets Poo Down The Loo, Vet Warns, I think sharing that piece was really helpful. Sharing is caring. Helping people is fun. Thank you so much for taking the time to read it.
Schedule Today Report this page