What Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet May be Harmful
What Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet May be Harmful
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How do you actually feel on the subject of Don't Flush Your Pets Poo Down The Loo, Vet Warns?
When it comes to throwing away waste, especially animal waste, lots of people often resort to the hassle-free choice of flushing it down the toilet. Nonetheless, this apparently very easy option can have severe effects for the setting and public health. In this write-up, we'll discover why flushing pet waste down the commode is a negative concept and offer alternative techniques for appropriate disposal.
Intro
Appropriate waste disposal is crucial for preserving ecological sustainability and public health. While it might seem safe to purge animal waste down the bathroom, it can result in different issues, both for the environment and human well-being.
Threats of flushing pet waste
Ecological impact
Purging animal waste presents unsafe microorganisms and pathogens into waterways, which can negatively affect water communities. These virus can infect water sources and damage marine life, disrupting fragile environments.
Public health problems
Animal waste has hazardous microorganisms such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can posture significant health and wellness risks to people. Flushing animal waste down the bathroom can infect water supplies, leading to the spread of diseases and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
Instead of purging animal waste down the bathroom, there are numerous different disposal techniques that are much more eco-friendly and hygienic.
Composting
Composting animal waste is a green way to get rid of it. By composting, raw material is broken down right into nutrient-rich dirt, which can be utilized to feed gardens and plants.
Land fill disposal
Getting rid of animal waste in a landfill is one more alternative. While not as environmentally friendly as composting, it is a safer choice to flushing, as it stops the contamination of water sources.
Animal garbage disposal systems
There are customized family pet waste disposal systems available that securely and hygienically take care of animal waste. These systems often use enzymes to break down waste and eliminate smells.
Steps to proper animal waste disposal
To guarantee appropriate disposal of animal waste, adhere to these steps:
Scooping and getting waste
Frequently scoop and bag animal waste utilizing naturally degradable bags. This avoids waste from infecting the environment.
Using designated waste containers
Dispose of bagged pet waste in assigned waste bins, such as compost containers or land fill bins. Stay clear of flushing it down the bathroom whatsoever expenses.
Cleaning up can and family pet areas consistently
Frequently tidy litter boxes and pet dog locations to stop the build-up of waste and bacteria. Usage pet-safe cleaning items to maintain hygiene.
Advantages of appropriate disposal methods
Embracing correct disposal techniques for pet waste supplies a number of advantages:
Decreased environmental pollution
Proper disposal approaches decrease the danger of environmental pollution, shielding rivers and environments from contamination
Lessened danger of water contamination.
By staying clear of flushing animal waste down the bathroom, the risk of water contamination is significantly decreased, protecting public health.
Boosted sanitation and hygiene
Proper disposal approaches promote better hygiene and hygiene, producing a more secure atmosphere for both humans and pets.
Final thought
Finally, flushing animal waste down the bathroom is hazardous to the setting and public health. By adopting alternative disposal methods and following correct waste administration methods, we can minimize the adverse 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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