Exploring the Harms of Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet
Exploring the Harms of Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet
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How do you really feel about Why you should never flush dog poop down the toilet?
When it concerns throwing away waste, particularly animal waste, lots of people often consider the convenient alternative of flushing it down the commode. Nonetheless, this seemingly very easy solution can have serious consequences for the atmosphere and public health. In this short article, we'll explore why flushing animal waste down the toilet is a poor concept and give different approaches for appropriate disposal.
Introduction
Correct garbage disposal is essential for keeping environmental sustainability and public health. While it might seem safe to flush animal waste down the toilet, it can result in various issues, both for the environment and human well-being.
Dangers of flushing pet waste
Ecological impact
Flushing pet waste introduces dangerous microorganisms and microorganisms into waterways, which can negatively impact marine ecosystems. These microorganisms can contaminate water sources and damage marine life, disrupting fragile environments.
Public health worries
Animal waste has unsafe germs such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can pose severe wellness risks to people. Purging animal waste down the toilet can contaminate water supplies, resulting in the spread of diseases and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
As opposed to purging pet waste down the commode, there are numerous different disposal techniques that are a lot more eco-friendly and sanitary.
Composting
Composting animal waste is an environment-friendly method to deal with it. By composting, raw material is broken down right into nutrient-rich soil, which can be made use of to feed gardens and plants.
Landfill disposal
Dealing with pet waste in a land fill is one more option. While not as eco-friendly as website composting, it is a much safer alternative to flushing, as it stops the contamination of water resources.
Animal garbage disposal systems
There are specific animal garbage disposal systems available that securely and hygienically dispose of animal waste. These systems frequently make use of enzymes to break down waste and remove smells.
Actions to appropriate animal waste disposal
To ensure proper disposal of pet waste, adhere to these actions:
Scooping and getting waste
Frequently scoop and bag pet waste making use of naturally degradable bags. This stops waste from polluting the atmosphere.
Utilizing designated waste bins
Dispose of bagged pet waste in marked waste containers, such as garden compost bins or land fill bins. Prevent flushing it down the commode at all prices.
Cleaning up can and animal locations on a regular basis
Frequently tidy litter boxes and family pet areas to stop the accumulation of waste and microorganisms. Usage pet-safe cleaning items to keep hygiene.
Benefits of appropriate disposal approaches
Adopting appropriate disposal approaches for animal waste offers a number of benefits:
Minimized environmental pollution
Appropriate disposal methods lower the risk of environmental pollution, shielding rivers and environments from contamination
Lessened threat of water contamination.
By avoiding flushing pet waste down the bathroom, the risk of water contamination is significantly minimized, securing public health.
Enhanced hygiene and hygiene
Proper disposal approaches promote far better sanitation and hygiene, developing a more secure environment for both humans and animals.
Final thought
Finally, flushing animal waste down the toilet is dangerous to the setting and public health. By adopting alternative disposal techniques and adhering to correct waste management practices, we can reduce the unfavorable effect of animal waste and contribute to a cleaner, 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
We were shown that write-up on 10 Things You Should Never Flush Down The Toilet from an acquaintance on our other website. Sharing is good. You just don't know, you may just be doing someone a favor. I love reading our article about Don't Flush Your Pets Poo Down The Loo, Vet Warns.
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