Exploring the Harms of Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet
Exploring the Harms of Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet
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When it involves dealing with waste, particularly animal waste, many individuals usually resort to the convenient choice of flushing it down the bathroom. Nevertheless, this seemingly simple remedy can have significant effects for the environment and public health. In this write-up, we'll check out why flushing animal waste down the toilet is a negative idea and offer alternative techniques for appropriate disposal.
Intro
Appropriate garbage disposal is crucial for preserving ecological sustainability and public health. While it might appear safe to purge animal waste down the commode, it can result in numerous issues, both for the setting and human wellness.
Dangers of flushing animal waste
Environmental impact
Purging animal waste introduces dangerous microorganisms and virus into waterways, which can adversely affect aquatic communities. These pathogens can infect water sources and injury marine life, interrupting fragile ecological communities.
Public health problems
Pet waste consists of dangerous microorganisms such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can position significant health risks to people. Flushing animal waste down the toilet can pollute water materials, causing the spread of conditions and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
Instead of purging pet waste down the bathroom, there are numerous alternate disposal approaches that are extra eco-friendly and hygienic.
Composting
Composting animal waste is a green method to throw away it. By composting, raw material is broken down right into nutrient-rich soil, which can be made use of to feed gardens and plants.
Land fill disposal
Taking care of pet waste in a landfill is an additional choice. While not as eco-friendly as composting, it is a safer option to flushing, as it avoids the contamination of water resources.
Pet waste disposal systems
There are customized pet waste disposal systems readily available that securely and hygienically get rid of animal waste. These systems frequently utilize enzymes to break down waste and get rid of odors.
Steps to proper pet garbage disposal
To ensure correct disposal of pet waste, comply with these steps:
Scooping and bagging waste
Consistently scoop and bag animal waste using biodegradable bags. This protects against waste from contaminating the atmosphere.
Utilizing designated waste bins
Dispose of bagged pet waste in marked waste bins, such as compost containers or garbage dump containers. Stay clear of flushing it down the bathroom whatsoever costs.
Cleansing litter boxes and family pet locations regularly
Regularly clean can and animal areas to stop the buildup of waste and germs. Use pet-safe cleansing items to keep hygiene.
Advantages of correct disposal approaches
Adopting appropriate disposal techniques for animal waste uses a number of benefits:
Reduced environmental pollution
Appropriate disposal methods decrease the risk of environmental pollution, securing waterways and communities from contamination
Lessened danger of water contamination.
By avoiding flushing animal waste down the commode, the risk of water contamination is considerably minimized, guarding public health.
Improved sanitation and hygiene
Appropriate disposal methods promote better sanitation and hygiene, creating a safer environment for both humans and pets.
Verdict
To conclude, flushing pet waste down the commode is unsafe to the setting and public health. By embracing different disposal approaches and complying with proper waste administration practices, we can decrease the unfavorable effect of pet waste and contribute to a cleaner, healthier world.
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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