What're your thoughts on 10 Things You Should Never Flush Down The Toilet?
When it involves throwing away waste, especially animal waste, many people frequently resort to the practical option of flushing it down the bathroom. However, this relatively easy option can have significant effects for the environment and public health. In this write-up, we'll explore why flushing animal waste down the commode is a poor idea and give different methods for correct disposal.
Intro
Proper waste disposal is crucial for maintaining environmental sustainability and public health. While it might seem harmless to purge animal waste down the toilet, it can cause numerous concerns, both for the setting and human well-being.
Dangers of flushing pet waste
Ecological influence
Flushing pet waste presents unsafe microorganisms and microorganisms right into rivers, which can negatively affect water communities. These microorganisms can pollute water sources and harm marine life, disrupting fragile environments.
Public health issues
Animal waste contains hazardous bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, which can pose significant wellness risks to human beings. Flushing animal waste down the bathroom can contaminate water materials, bring about the spread of conditions and infections.
Alternatives to flushing
Rather than purging pet waste down the commode, there are several alternative disposal approaches that are a lot more environmentally friendly and hygienic.
Composting
Composting animal waste is an environmentally friendly means to deal with it. By composting, raw material is broken down into nutrient-rich soil, which can be made use of to fertilize gardens and plants.
Landfill disposal
Getting rid of pet waste in a landfill is one more alternative. While not as eco-friendly as composting, it is a much safer choice to flushing, as it avoids the contamination of water sources.
Pet garbage disposal systems
There are specific pet waste disposal systems readily available that securely and hygienically take care of animal waste. These systems commonly make use of enzymes to break down waste and get rid of smells.
Actions to proper animal garbage disposal
To guarantee correct disposal of animal waste, comply with these steps:
Scooping and getting waste
Frequently scoop and bag animal waste making use of eco-friendly bags. This stops waste from polluting the setting.
Making use of marked waste bins
Dispose of bagged pet waste in assigned waste containers, such as garden compost bins or landfill containers. Avoid flushing it down the bathroom in all costs.
Cleaning up can and animal areas consistently
Routinely tidy can and pet dog locations to avoid the buildup of waste and microorganisms. Use pet-safe cleaning items to maintain hygiene.
Benefits of proper disposal techniques
Adopting appropriate disposal methods for pet waste provides numerous advantages:
Reduced environmental pollution
Correct disposal techniques lower the risk of environmental pollution, shielding waterways and environments from contamination
Decreased risk of water contamination.
By preventing flushing pet waste down the toilet, the threat of water contamination is considerably lowered, safeguarding public health.
Improved hygiene and health
Appropriate disposal approaches promote better cleanliness and hygiene, developing a much safer atmosphere for both people and pets.
Verdict
Finally, flushing animal waste down the bathroom is dangerous to the setting and public health. By adopting alternate disposal methods and complying with proper waste management practices, we can minimize the unfavorable impact of pet 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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