The Risks of Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet
The Risks of Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet
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Each person will have their own individual opinion about Don't Flush Your Pets Poo Down The Loo, Vet Warns.
When it comes to dealing with waste, particularly animal waste, many people commonly turn to the convenient option of flushing it down the toilet. However, this relatively very easy solution can have serious effects for the environment and public health. In this post, we'll check out why flushing animal waste down the toilet is a poor idea and provide alternative techniques for proper disposal.
Introduction
Appropriate garbage disposal is critical for maintaining environmental sustainability and public health. While it may seem safe to purge animal waste down the commode, it can result in different concerns, both for the setting and human wellness.
Dangers of flushing pet waste
Ecological impact
Flushing pet waste presents harmful germs and microorganisms into rivers, which can adversely affect water communities. These microorganisms can pollute water resources and damage aquatic life, interfering with delicate environments.
Public health problems
Animal waste contains hazardous bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can posture significant health and wellness risks to people. Flushing animal waste down the bathroom can contaminate water products, leading to the spread of illness and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
Rather than purging animal waste down the toilet, there are several alternative disposal methods that are a lot more eco-friendly and sanitary.
Composting
Composting pet waste is an environment-friendly means to dispose of it. By composting, organic matter is broken down into nutrient-rich dirt, which can be made use of to feed gardens and plants.
Landfill disposal
Throwing away pet waste in a garbage dump is an additional option. While not as eco-friendly as composting, it is a much safer alternative to flushing, as it stops the contamination of water resources.
Animal waste disposal systems
There are specialized animal waste disposal systems available that securely and hygienically throw away animal waste. These systems usually utilize enzymes to break down waste and remove smells.
Steps to proper animal garbage disposal
To make sure correct disposal of animal waste, follow these actions:
Scooping and nabbing waste
Regularly scoop and bag pet waste making use of naturally degradable bags. This protects against waste from contaminating the atmosphere.
Using marked waste bins
Dispose of bagged pet waste in assigned waste bins, such as garden compost bins or garbage dump containers. Prevent flushing it down the toilet in all expenses.
Cleansing can and animal locations regularly
Consistently clean litter boxes and family pet locations to avoid the buildup of waste and bacteria. Usage pet-safe cleaning items to keep hygiene.
Advantages of correct disposal methods
Adopting correct disposal methods for pet waste supplies a number of advantages:
Lowered environmental pollution
Correct disposal approaches lower the risk of environmental pollution, safeguarding rivers and ecological communities from contamination
Minimized threat of water contamination.
By avoiding flushing pet waste down the bathroom, the danger of water contamination is substantially reduced, securing public health.
Enhanced hygiene and hygiene
Correct disposal techniques promote better cleanliness and health, creating a safer setting for both humans and animals.
Verdict
Finally, purging animal waste down the toilet is harmful to the setting and public health. By adopting different disposal approaches and complying with appropriate waste administration methods, we can lessen the negative influence of animal waste and contribute to a cleaner, much 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
Consistently clean litter boxes and family pet locations to avoid the buildup of waste and bacteria. Usage pet-safe cleaning items to keep hygiene.
Advantages of correct disposal methods
Adopting correct disposal methods for pet waste supplies a number of advantages:
Lowered environmental pollution
Correct disposal approaches lower the risk of environmental pollution, safeguarding rivers and ecological communities from contamination
Minimized threat of water contamination.
By avoiding flushing pet waste down the bathroom, the danger of water contamination is substantially reduced, securing public health.
Enhanced hygiene and hygiene
Correct disposal techniques promote better cleanliness and health, creating a safer setting for both humans and animals.
Verdict
Finally, purging animal waste down the toilet is harmful to the setting and public health. By adopting different disposal approaches and complying with appropriate waste administration methods, we can lessen the negative influence of animal waste and contribute to a cleaner, much 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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