The scoop on pet poop: eco-friendly disposal

Photo by Qole Pejorian, flickr.com

Are you trying to live more sustainably, and wonder where your pets fit into the picture?

While there is no shortage of eco-friendly pet products on the market, properly disposing of your pet’s waste is perhaps the single most critical action you can take to affect your local environment and the planet.

Scooping your dog’s poop may be one of the most unpleasant responsibilities of pet ownership, but it’s also one of the most vital. Pet waste is one of the leading culprits in bacterial stream contamination, and can cause the same nitrogen concerns as fertilizer and livestock manure.

You don’t want to leave the waste at the park or on your lawn, either. It can last on the ground for up to four years, and transmit such nasty pathogens as roundworms, Giardia, Salmonella and E. coli.

The best, most environmentally-friendly way to handle dog waste is to scoop it up in a plastic bag, and toss it in the garbage. It’s simple and sanitary to do if you put the bag on your hand like a glove, pick up the poop, then slip the bag off, inside out. You can also use a sturdy paper bag, or even a waxed paper bag.

Biodegradable bags, like the corn-based BioBags, are nice but not especially necessary—they work best in communities that have aerobic landfills, and not so well in communities like Portland that use anaerobic landfills.

Throw the bagged waste in the trash—not the compost heap, nor the composting bin at the curb. Composting or burying your pet’s waste will not reliably destroy harmful microorganisms, which may find their way onto your garden crops or in the groundwater supply.

Also, don’t flush pet waste down the toilet, even in bags marketed for that purpose.

“Human waste and toilet paper are the only things that should go down the toilet,” said Linc Mann, spokesperson for Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services. Anything with any kind of volume, he added, has the potential to clog up sewer pipe connections, and can also get stuck at pipe junctions and pump stations.

Cat have their own waste disposal issues. Many of the cat litters in the market are hard on cats and the environment, especially the clay-based, clumping litter. The clay for that type of litter is strip mined, and the litter itself won’t biodegrade. It also contains potential carcinogens, such as silica crystals and sodium bentonite, which cats can ingest when they groom themselves. Silica dust can coat your cat’s lungs, and the sodium bentonite, a clumping agent which is also used in grouting, sealing, and plugging materials, can expand in your cat and clog his insides.

Much better environmental choices for cat litter are brands such as Swheat Scoop, Feline Pine, and the World’s Best Cat Litter. Again, put the scooped waste in a bag in the trash.

Remember, landfills are specifically designed to handle dog waste, cat litter, or even biodegradable diapers. Your septic tank, sewer system, or backyard compost are not.

So, if you want your pet to be really green, and have his carbon footprint be as light as possible, pick up your pet’s waste and dispose of it properly. Scoop it, bag it and put it in the trash. It’s the safe disposal method, and environmentally sound.

Your health, the health of the community, and the purity of our local streams and waterways depend on these simple actions.