When Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet Can be Harmful
When Flushing Animal Waste Down the Toilet Can be Harmful
Blog Article
We have discovered the article pertaining to Don't Flush Your Pets Poo Down The Loo, Vet Warns directly below on the internet and figured it made good sense to write about it with you on this site.
When it comes to dealing with waste, particularly animal waste, many people typically turn to the convenient alternative of flushing it down the toilet. However, this seemingly easy solution can have severe consequences for the atmosphere and public health. In this write-up, we'll discover why flushing animal waste down the toilet is a negative concept and provide alternative techniques for proper disposal.
Introduction
Correct waste disposal is essential for maintaining environmental sustainability and public health. While it might seem safe to purge animal waste down the toilet, it can lead to different concerns, both for the atmosphere and human health.
Risks of flushing pet waste
Ecological impact
Flushing animal waste presents harmful bacteria and pathogens into waterways, which can negatively affect water ecosystems. These virus can infect water sources and damage aquatic life, interfering with fragile communities.
Public health worries
Pet waste has harmful microorganisms such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can position severe health threats to people. Purging pet waste down the commode can infect water supplies, causing the spread of conditions and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
As opposed to purging animal waste down the toilet, there are several alternate disposal techniques that are a lot more eco-friendly and hygienic.
Composting
Composting pet waste is an environmentally friendly way to throw away it. By composting, organic matter is broken down right into nutrient-rich soil, which can be made use of to fertilize yards and plants.
Landfill disposal
Getting rid of pet waste in a garbage dump is another choice. While not as environmentally friendly as composting, it is a much safer alternative to flushing, as it protects against the contamination of water sources.
Family pet waste disposal systems
There are customized animal waste disposal systems offered that safely and hygienically deal with animal waste. These systems frequently utilize enzymes to break down waste and remove smells.
Actions to proper animal garbage disposal
To ensure correct disposal of animal waste, comply with these actions:
Scooping and landing waste
On a regular basis scoop and bag animal waste making use of eco-friendly bags. This protects against waste from polluting the setting.
Utilizing designated waste bins
Dispose of bagged pet waste in assigned waste containers, such as garden compost bins or garbage dump containers. Avoid flushing it down the bathroom at all costs.
Cleaning up can and animal locations consistently
On a regular basis tidy can and animal areas to stop the accumulation of waste and germs. Usage pet-safe cleansing items to maintain health.
Advantages of correct disposal methods
Embracing appropriate disposal techniques for animal waste supplies numerous advantages:
Minimized environmental pollution
Proper disposal approaches lower the danger of environmental pollution, safeguarding rivers and ecological communities from contamination
Decreased risk of water contamination.
By staying clear of flushing animal waste down the commode, the danger of water contamination is considerably lowered, protecting public health.
Boosted sanitation and hygiene
Correct disposal methods promote much better sanitation and hygiene, creating a safer environment for both humans and pets.
Verdict
Finally, purging animal waste down the toilet is damaging to the atmosphere and public health. By adopting alternative disposal techniques and following appropriate waste administration methods, we can lessen the unfavorable impact of pet waste and add 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
I am very eager about 10 Things You Should Never Flush Down The Toilet and I really hope you enjoyed the entire blog posting. Remember to take a moment to promote this post if you enjoyed it. Thanks a bunch for your time. Come back soon.
Free Estimates Report this page