How to make cleaning up dog poop easier on the environment
By Jackie White, Freelance Writer
Sustainability Flexibles Plastic biodegradable dog waste packaging dog poop packagingContributor Jackie White provides the straight poop on what happens to the packaging “after” you stoop to scoop.
With dog ownership increasing in Canada to 33 percent of the population, it is important to consider how dog waste is managed.
It’s great to be a good citizen by clearing up all your dog poop when out and about with your pooch. However, spare a thought to what happens to your dog’s poop package after you’ve cleaned up your local pavement or footpath.
You may feel you are being helpful by clearing the area for other walkers and residents—and it is a requirement to do so—but you also need to consider how your package biodegrades and whether the effects on the environment are acceptable and sustainable.
Green ways to package and dispose of dog poop
With a little thought to the process of dog poop disposal a much more sustainable solution can be found.
Many people throw their bagged dog poop into the normal waste bin, where it will eventually end up at landfill sites.
Due to the lack of airflow within a landfill, a bag will remain inert without biodegrading as the dog poop bag is either not biodegradable or not sufficiently biodegradable enough under the airless conditions.
The quantity of dog waste you have to dispose of will depend, not only on the number of dogs you own, but also on the type of food you feed them, and even the size of the dog.
Dog food with less fillers and cereal are not only more easily digested, but also produce less quantity of waste.
In addition, while overfeeding one’s dog can result in health risks such as obesity in your dog, there’s also the increase in the amount of poop produced.
Packaging the poop for safe garden compost
Composting your dogs’ waste at your home should be considered if you have enough space, as the properly processed product can be excellent for your garden.
The advice is to normally use it to fertilize trees, shrubs and flower beds, but only after correct composting procedures have been followed which should destroy any pathogens.
However, it is advised to not not use dog waste compost on vegetable gardens.
When putting bagged dog poop into your compost ensure you use quality compostible dog waste bags as biodegradable plastics produce toxins during their degrading process are not suitable.
Dog waste disposal units
Disposal units and septic tank types can be useful—especially if you are a dog owner living in an apartment or living space where garden space is limited.
There is a cost to running this type of unit as powder or tablets to break down the waste are required.
However, these types of systems do effectively make dog poop disappear, and are favored by a number of dog owners.
While these systems are less natural than the composting method, it is advisable that they be installed away from any vegetable gardens or areas where children may play.
Eco friendly dog poop future
As a dog owner, you will be happily enjoying the outdoors and nature with your dog, so by keeping to this theme, remember to prioritize our environment when organizing the disposal of your best friend’s waste matter.
This is especially important with dogs being as popular as they are. With all dog owners looking after our planet we can enjoy our beautiful environment for many future generations.
Photo by Matt Nelson on Unsplash.
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