What are your concepts on Should you flush animal waste down the toilet?
When it comes to taking care of waste, specifically animal waste, many individuals usually consider the hassle-free choice of flushing it down the bathroom. However, this relatively easy remedy can have significant effects for the setting and public health. In this write-up, we'll discover why flushing pet waste down the bathroom is a bad idea and give alternative approaches for proper disposal.
Intro
Correct waste disposal is critical for keeping environmental sustainability and public health. While it may seem harmless to flush animal waste down the commode, it can lead to various concerns, both for the setting and human health.
Dangers of flushing animal waste
Ecological effect
Flushing animal waste introduces hazardous bacteria and pathogens right into waterways, which can adversely affect aquatic ecosystems. These virus can pollute water sources and damage aquatic life, interrupting fragile environments.
Public health worries
Animal waste contains harmful germs such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can pose severe health dangers to humans. Flushing pet waste down the commode can contaminate water materials, bring about the spread of diseases and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
Rather than flushing pet waste down the commode, there are numerous alternate disposal approaches that are extra eco-friendly and sanitary.
Composting
Composting pet waste is an environmentally friendly method to throw away it. By composting, raw material is broken down right into nutrient-rich soil, which can be used to fertilize gardens and plants.
Garbage dump disposal
Throwing away pet waste in a garbage dump is one more option. While not as eco-friendly as composting, it is a much safer alternative to flushing, as it prevents the contamination of water resources.
Animal waste disposal systems
There are specialized family pet waste disposal systems readily available that safely and hygienically take care of animal waste. These systems usually use enzymes to break down waste and get rid of smells.
Actions to appropriate animal garbage disposal
To make sure appropriate disposal of animal waste, comply with these actions:
Scooping and getting waste
On a regular basis scoop and bag pet waste utilizing biodegradable bags. This avoids waste from infecting the setting.
Making use of designated waste bins
Dispose of bagged animal waste in designated waste bins, such as more info compost containers or land fill containers. Prevent flushing it down the bathroom in all prices.
Cleaning up can and pet dog locations consistently
Regularly tidy can and pet dog locations to stop the buildup of waste and bacteria. Use pet-safe cleansing products to keep health.
Benefits of proper disposal approaches
Embracing correct disposal methods for animal waste offers several advantages:
Decreased environmental pollution
Correct disposal methods lower the danger of environmental pollution, safeguarding rivers and communities from contamination
Lessened risk of water contamination.
By preventing flushing pet waste down the toilet, the danger of water contamination is significantly decreased, guarding public health.
Improved sanitation and health
Correct disposal techniques promote much better hygiene and health, producing a much safer atmosphere for both people and pets.
Final thought
To conclude, purging animal waste down the toilet is hazardous to the environment and public health. By adopting alternative disposal methods and adhering to correct waste management practices, we can minimize 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
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