When Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet Can be Harmful
When Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet Can be Harmful
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The author is making several good pointers on Don't Flush Your Pets Poo Down The Loo, Vet Warns overall in the article following next.
When it pertains to disposing of waste, particularly animal waste, many individuals typically turn to the convenient choice of flushing it down the bathroom. Nevertheless, this relatively simple service can have significant repercussions for the atmosphere and public health. In this article, we'll discover why flushing animal waste down the toilet is a poor concept and provide alternate methods for appropriate disposal.
Intro
Appropriate garbage disposal is essential for keeping ecological sustainability and public health. While it may appear safe to flush animal waste down the bathroom, it can cause different problems, both for the environment and human wellness.
Dangers of flushing animal waste
Environmental effect
Flushing pet waste presents dangerous germs and microorganisms into rivers, which can negatively impact aquatic communities. These pathogens can pollute water resources and damage aquatic life, interfering with delicate ecosystems.
Public health problems
Animal waste contains hazardous bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can present major health threats to human beings. Purging pet waste down the commode can contaminate water materials, bring about the spread of diseases and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
Rather than flushing animal waste down the bathroom, there are a number of alternate disposal techniques that are a lot more eco-friendly and hygienic.
Composting
Composting animal waste is a green method to deal with it. By composting, organic matter is broken down right into nutrient-rich soil, which can be used to feed gardens and plants.
Land fill disposal
Throwing away animal waste in a land fill is one more alternative. While not as environmentally friendly as composting, it is a more secure option to flushing, as it prevents the contamination of water sources.
Pet garbage disposal systems
There are customized animal garbage disposal systems readily available that securely and hygienically throw away pet waste. These systems frequently make use of enzymes to break down waste and remove odors.
Actions to proper pet waste disposal
To make sure proper disposal of animal waste, adhere to these actions:
Scooping and landing waste
On a regular basis scoop and bag animal waste making use of biodegradable bags. This avoids waste from infecting the atmosphere.
Making use of designated waste containers
Dispose of bagged pet waste in assigned waste bins, such as garden compost bins or garbage dump bins. Stay clear of flushing it down the toilet in any way prices.
Cleaning litter boxes and family pet locations on a regular basis
On a regular basis clean litter boxes and family pet locations to stop the build-up of waste and microorganisms. Use pet-safe cleaning products to maintain hygiene.
Advantages of correct disposal approaches
Taking on proper disposal approaches for pet waste supplies several advantages:
Reduced environmental pollution
Proper disposal methods lower the threat of environmental pollution, securing rivers and environments from contamination
Lessened risk of water contamination.
By avoiding flushing animal waste down the toilet, the threat of water contamination is substantially lowered, protecting public health.
Enhanced sanitation and health
Correct disposal approaches promote much better hygiene and hygiene, developing a safer environment for both human beings and pets.
Conclusion
In conclusion, flushing animal waste down the toilet is unsafe to the environment and public health. By taking on different disposal techniques and adhering to appropriate waste management techniques, we can lessen the unfavorable effect of pet waste and contribute to a cleaner, 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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