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Every person may have his or her own piece of advice with regards to Can You Flush Dog and Cat Poo Down the Toilet?.

When it pertains to getting rid of waste, particularly animal waste, lots of people usually consider the convenient alternative of flushing it down the bathroom. Nonetheless, this relatively easy solution can have serious repercussions for the environment and public health. In this post, we'll explore why flushing animal waste down the toilet is a negative idea and offer alternative techniques for correct disposal.

 

Intro

Correct waste disposal is vital for keeping ecological sustainability and public health. While it may appear harmless to flush animal waste down the toilet, it can bring about various issues, both for the environment and human health.

 

Risks of flushing animal waste

 

Environmental effect

Purging pet waste introduces dangerous bacteria and microorganisms right into rivers, which can adversely influence aquatic environments. These microorganisms can pollute water resources and damage marine life, disrupting delicate environments.

 

Public health issues

Animal waste has harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can present significant health dangers to humans. Purging pet waste down the commode can contaminate water supplies, causing the spread of conditions and infections.

 

Alternatives to flushing

Instead of flushing animal waste down the bathroom, there are numerous alternative disposal approaches that are more eco-friendly and hygienic.

 

Composting

Composting pet waste is a green way to get rid of it. By composting, raw material is broken down into nutrient-rich soil, which can be utilized to fertilize yards and plants.

 

Land fill disposal

Getting rid of animal waste in a land fill is another alternative. While not as eco-friendly as composting, it is a much safer choice to flushing, as it protects against the contamination of water resources.

 

Family pet waste disposal systems

There are specialized animal waste disposal systems available that securely and hygienically dispose of animal waste. These systems usually make use of enzymes to break down waste and eliminate smells.

 

Actions to correct animal garbage disposal

To guarantee appropriate disposal of pet waste, adhere to these steps:

 

Scooping and nabbing waste

On a regular basis scoop and bag animal waste using naturally degradable bags. This protects against waste from infecting the atmosphere.

 

Utilizing marked waste containers

Dispose of bagged animal waste in assigned waste containers, such as garden compost containers or landfill bins. Prevent flushing it down the bathroom in any way prices.
Cleaning can and family pet areas frequently
On a regular basis clean litter boxes and family pet areas to avoid the build-up of waste and bacteria. Usage pet-safe cleaning products to preserve hygiene.

 

Advantages of appropriate disposal methods

Adopting proper disposal methods for animal waste offers several advantages:

 

Decreased environmental pollution

Appropriate disposal methods reduce the threat of environmental pollution, protecting rivers and communities from contamination

 

Reduced danger of water contamination.

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

 

Improved sanitation and hygiene

Appropriate disposal methods promote better cleanliness and health, producing a safer atmosphere for both humans and animals.

 

Final thought

To conclude, flushing animal waste down the toilet is unsafe to the environment and public health. By adopting different disposal techniques and complying with proper waste monitoring practices, we can reduce the adverse impact 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

 

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