How To Dispose Of Dog Poo The Green Way
In Australia, there is a population of about 4.8 million dogs. It's safe to say that we Australians love having pet dogs. With that many dogs comes a lot of dog poo, a lot of which is not disposed of sustainably. In fact, about 1.2 tonnes or 1,200 kilograms of dog waste is produced every day. About 4% of Australian tips contain poo-filled plastic bags. These are some very startling stats! All dog owners can make a massive difference by changing the way we deal with this waste. Fortunately, finding a more eco-friendly solution is easy, here are some tips on how to dispose of dog poo the green way.
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Composting Dog Poo is responsible and sustainable
Composting dog poo is a crucial step towards sustainable and responsible waste management. By composting this seemingly insignificant waste, we can minimise the environmental impact it poses. Dog feces contributes to water pollution, releases harmful pathogens, and emits greenhouse gases when sent to landfills. On the other hand, composting dog poo transforms it into a valuable resource that enriches the soil with nutrients, promotes healthy plant growth, and reduces the need for synthetic chemical fertilizers. Composting diverts a significant amount of waste from landfills, reducing the strain on these already overburdened sites. Embracing the practice of composting dog poo not only benefits our environment and own gardens, but also allows us to make responsible choices that positively impact the planet for future generations.
Out and about
As dog owners, we love taking our best friends for walks or to local dog parks and dog-friendly beaches. Pets need stimulation and these are all great ways to do this. It is inevitable that they will need to relieve themselves. Not only is it polite to pick up after your dog so that others don't step in it, but it is also often an offence and you can be fined if you get caught, particularly at public parks and beaches. Worst of all, feces can contain harmful bacteria and pathogens which can contaminate our waterways so it is best to pick it up.
Public dog parks and beaches will often supply disposable dog bags. While it is great to see that in recent years some councils have opted for compostable bags, others continue to provide harmful black plastic bags. Unfortunately, your dog's waste will not break down properly in a plastic bag, instead, it will be taken alongside hundreds of other individually wrapped bags to the closest landfill. Compostable bags, or at the very least, biodegradable bags, should always be used over plastic. Unfortunately even when compostable bags are placed in a garbage bin they still end up in the same landfill where they fail to decompose properly. The most sustainable way to dispose of your dog’s waste is to collect it in a compostable bag, brown paper bag or newspaper, bring it home and place it in your home compost systems.
At home
The greenest way of all to dispose of dog poo is to compost at home. It’s also comforting to know that you know what is happening to it, you have full control over it. However, composting this form of waste needs special treatment. If you have a traditional compost pile at home, this method is not the best option. Bacteria and pathogens can be found in dog feces that can contaminate your compost pile. It is also important to only use this compost on NON-edibles. Below are two different and very effective methods for composting dog poop at home,
1. Worm farm
Worm farms are an excellent way for us to reduce our food waste and live more sustainably but they are also a great solution for dealing with dog poo. Worms will happily eat your dog's waste and turn it into a beautiful, fluffy, water-holding, nutrient-dense compost.
How to set up your worm farm
Setting up a worm farm is really easy and the great thing about them is they require very minimal maintenance. I use the Tumbleweed Can-O-Worms. Tumbleweed makes other great worm farm products and so do many other brands. If you wanted to save some money then you could also make your own worm farms by stacking several buckets or tubs. You can be very creative with worm farms, other alternatives I have seen include old bathtubs and wheelbarrows. I recommend keeping two worm farms, one for kitchen scraps and the second one for dog poo. This will make it easy for you to keep these two composts separate. The compost made from food scraps can be used on your edibles and the compost made from dog poo to be used on your non-edibles.
It is important to note that in any composting system you need to add a mix of brown materials and green materials. Dog poo is considered green waste, while brown waste includes such materials as dead leaves and shredded paper. A worm farm needs a balance of both, without balance the worm farm may start to smell.
The end product of dog poo compost is a dark compost called humus and it is an excellent resource for your non-edible plants. Your ornamental flowers and indoor plants will also love the compost.
2. Ensopet
The ensopet is a fairly new concept for disposing of doodoo. This is a mix between a worm farm and a bokashi system. With the ensopet system you bury the chamber in the ground, throw in the dog’s waste and then sprinkle in a handful of ensopet starter. The ensopet starter mix is full of beneficial microorganisms that help breakdown the pet waste while also reducing bad odours and killing any harmful pathogens. The bran that is used to help in the decaying of the dog waste is similar to that used in kitchen bokashi systems. All of the natural microorganisms are useful in building healthy soils, they include lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, photosynthetic bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi.
Dog poo is not waste
Dog poo is not waste, it’s time we see it as a resource and use it for good. It holds a significant amount of potential and usefulness in tackling some of the world’s most pressing issues. While dog feces takes slightly more work to dispose of it should not be wasted, rather it can significantly help us in battling climate change, protect our waterways, help us reduce our over dependance on single-use plastics and help to naturally feed our hungry plants. We as individuals have the chance to make a small change that has considerable positive effects. It’s time we stopped seeing dog poo as waste, let’s celebrate this natural byproduct of our best friends and use it to the advantage of our gardens and the planet.
