When Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet Can be Harmful
When Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet Can be Harmful
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Every person may have their personal theory when it comes to Why you should never flush dog poop down the toilet.
When it involves taking care of waste, especially animal waste, lots of people commonly turn to the practical choice of flushing it down the commode. Nonetheless, this apparently simple remedy can have significant repercussions for the setting and public health. In this post, we'll explore why flushing pet waste down the commode is a poor concept and offer different methods for appropriate disposal.
Intro
Correct waste disposal is critical for maintaining environmental sustainability and public health. While it may seem harmless to purge animal waste down the commode, it can cause various issues, both for the environment and human health.
Threats of flushing pet waste
Ecological impact
Purging pet waste presents unsafe germs and microorganisms into rivers, which can negatively affect marine communities. These pathogens can contaminate water sources and injury aquatic life, disrupting fragile environments.
Public health problems
Animal waste includes damaging microorganisms such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can position significant health and wellness risks to humans. Flushing pet waste down the toilet can infect water materials, resulting in the spread of conditions and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
Rather than flushing animal waste down the toilet, there are a number of different disposal techniques that are more environmentally friendly and hygienic.
Composting
Composting animal waste is an eco-friendly method to deal with it. By composting, organic matter is broken down right into nutrient-rich dirt, which can be utilized to fertilize yards and plants.
Garbage dump disposal
Dealing with pet waste in a garbage dump is another alternative. While not as environmentally friendly as composting, it is a safer option to flushing, as it avoids the contamination of water sources.
Animal garbage disposal systems
There are specialized animal garbage disposal systems readily available that safely and hygienically dispose of animal waste. These systems commonly make use of enzymes to break down waste and eliminate smells.
Steps to correct pet waste disposal
To make certain proper disposal of pet waste, follow these actions:
Scooping and getting waste
Frequently scoop and bag animal waste making use of biodegradable bags. This prevents waste from contaminating the environment.
Using assigned waste bins
Dispose of bagged pet waste in designated waste containers, such as garden compost containers or landfill bins. Stay clear of flushing it down the commode in all costs.
Cleaning litter boxes and pet areas consistently
Consistently clean litter boxes and pet dog locations to avoid the buildup of waste and bacteria. Use pet-safe cleansing products to preserve hygiene.
Advantages of correct disposal methods
Embracing correct disposal methods for pet waste provides a number of benefits:
Decreased environmental pollution
Correct disposal approaches reduce the risk of environmental pollution, securing waterways and environments from contamination
Reduced risk of water contamination.
By avoiding flushing pet waste down the toilet, the threat of water contamination is significantly reduced, securing public health.
Improved sanitation and hygiene
Correct disposal techniques advertise far better sanitation and health, producing a more secure setting for both human beings and pets.
Verdict
In conclusion, purging pet waste down the bathroom is harmful to the setting and public health. By embracing different disposal approaches and complying with appropriate waste administration practices, we can reduce the unfavorable influence of animal waste and contribute 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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