Discovering the Dangers of Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet

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When it comes to throwing away waste, specifically animal waste, lots of people usually resort to the practical choice of flushing it down the commode. Nonetheless, this seemingly easy service can have severe effects for the atmosphere and public health. In this short article, we'll check out why flushing pet waste down the commode is a negative concept and give alternative methods for proper disposal.

Introduction

Proper garbage disposal is vital for keeping ecological sustainability and public health. While it might appear safe to purge animal waste down the bathroom, it can cause numerous problems, both for the atmosphere and human health.

Threats of flushing pet waste

Ecological effect

Flushing animal waste introduces hazardous bacteria and pathogens right into rivers, which can negatively influence marine communities. These microorganisms can pollute water sources and harm marine life, interrupting fragile ecosystems.

Public health issues

Animal waste consists of damaging germs such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can position significant health and wellness risks to people. Purging pet waste down the commode can pollute water supplies, causing the spread of diseases and infections.

Alternatives to flushing

Instead of purging animal waste down the toilet, there are numerous different disposal approaches that are much more eco-friendly and hygienic.

Composting

Composting animal waste is an environment-friendly method to deal with it. By composting, raw material is broken down into nutrient-rich soil, which can be utilized to fertilize yards and plants.

Landfill disposal

Dealing with pet waste in a garbage dump is another choice. While not as environmentally friendly as composting, it is a safer choice to flushing, as it avoids the contamination of water resources.

Animal garbage disposal systems

There are specialized family pet waste disposal systems available that safely and hygienically dispose of animal waste. These systems commonly use enzymes to break down waste and remove odors.

Steps to correct animal garbage disposal

To make certain appropriate disposal of pet waste, follow these steps:

Scooping and nabbing waste

Regularly scoop and bag animal waste making use of biodegradable bags. This stops waste from infecting the environment.

Utilizing marked waste bins

Dispose of bagged animal waste in marked waste bins, such as compost containers or land fill bins. Avoid flushing it down the bathroom in all costs.
Cleaning litter boxes and family pet areas on a regular basis
Regularly clean litter boxes and animal locations to stop the build-up of waste and microorganisms. Use pet-safe cleaning products to maintain health.

Advantages of correct disposal methods

Adopting proper disposal methods for animal waste provides a number of advantages:

Minimized environmental pollution

Correct disposal methods reduce the risk of environmental pollution, safeguarding waterways and communities from contamination

Lessened danger of water contamination.

By preventing flushing animal waste down the bathroom, the danger of water contamination is considerably minimized, guarding public health.

Boosted hygiene and health

Appropriate disposal techniques promote better sanitation and health, developing a much safer atmosphere for both people and animals.

Conclusion

In conclusion, purging pet waste down the bathroom is damaging to the environment and public health. By adopting different disposal approaches and complying with correct waste administration practices, we can minimize the adverse effect of animal waste and add to a cleaner, much healthier planet.

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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