Exploring the Harms of Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet
Exploring the Harms of Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet
Blog Article
Just how do you feel in relation to Should you flush animal waste down the toilet?
When it involves taking care of waste, especially animal waste, many people commonly resort to the hassle-free choice of flushing it down the toilet. However, this seemingly simple service can have serious repercussions for the environment and public health. In this article, we'll discover why flushing pet waste down the commode is a negative idea and give alternate methods for proper disposal.
Intro
Correct garbage disposal is vital for maintaining ecological sustainability and public health. While it might seem harmless to flush animal waste down the bathroom, it can lead to various problems, both for the atmosphere and human wellness.
Threats of flushing pet waste
Environmental effect
Flushing animal waste introduces unsafe bacteria and virus right into waterways, which can negatively affect water ecosystems. These virus can contaminate water resources and damage aquatic life, interfering with fragile environments.
Public health worries
Animal waste includes harmful germs such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can pose serious health and wellness dangers to human beings. Flushing pet waste down the bathroom can contaminate water products, leading to the spread of conditions and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
Instead of purging animal waste down the toilet, there are numerous alternative disposal techniques that are extra environmentally friendly and sanitary.
Composting
Composting pet waste is an eco-friendly means to dispose of it. By composting, raw material is broken down into nutrient-rich soil, which can be made use of to feed yards and plants.
Garbage dump disposal
Taking care of pet waste in a landfill is an additional choice. While not as environmentally friendly as composting, it is a more secure alternative to flushing, as it avoids the contamination of water resources.
Pet waste disposal systems
There are customized animal waste disposal systems offered that safely and hygienically deal with pet waste. These systems commonly utilize enzymes to break down waste and eliminate smells.
Steps to proper pet waste disposal
To guarantee correct disposal of pet waste, adhere to these steps:
Scooping and bagging waste
Regularly scoop and bag animal waste utilizing biodegradable bags. This stops waste from infecting the setting.
Using marked waste bins
Dispose of bagged animal waste in marked waste bins, such as garden compost bins or land fill containers. Prevent flushing it down the toilet whatsoever costs.
Cleansing can and family pet areas consistently
Routinely clean litter boxes and pet locations to prevent the build-up of waste and microorganisms. Usage pet-safe cleansing products to keep health.
Benefits of correct disposal methods
Embracing proper disposal techniques for animal waste uses a number of benefits:
Reduced environmental pollution
Correct disposal methods decrease the threat of environmental pollution, shielding waterways and environments from contamination
Reduced danger of water contamination.
By avoiding flushing animal waste down the bathroom, the risk of water contamination is significantly reduced, protecting public health.
Enhanced sanitation and hygiene
Appropriate disposal techniques promote far better hygiene and health, producing a much safer environment for both human beings and pets.
Verdict
To conclude, flushing animal waste down the commode is dangerous to the environment and public health. By adopting alternate disposal methods and adhering to correct waste management methods, we can minimize the adverse effect 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
Routinely clean litter boxes and pet locations to prevent the build-up of waste and microorganisms. Usage pet-safe cleansing products to keep health.
Benefits of correct disposal methods
Embracing proper disposal techniques for animal waste uses a number of benefits:
Reduced environmental pollution
Correct disposal methods decrease the threat of environmental pollution, shielding waterways and environments from contamination
Reduced danger of water contamination.
By avoiding flushing animal waste down the bathroom, the risk of water contamination is significantly reduced, protecting public health.
Enhanced sanitation and hygiene
Appropriate disposal techniques promote far better hygiene and health, producing a much safer environment for both human beings and pets.
Verdict
To conclude, flushing animal waste down the commode is dangerous to the environment and public health. By adopting alternate disposal methods and adhering to correct waste management methods, we can minimize the adverse effect 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
As a passionate reader about 10 Things You Should Never Flush Down The Toilet, I thought sharing that blog post was smart. Those who enjoyed reading our blog post plz make sure you remember to pass it around. We appreciate reading our article about 4 Reasons Why Dog Poop Cleanup is Important.
Call Report this page