Alternatives to trashing pet waste
If you have a cat or a dog, then you know that their poop and litter can quickly add ballast to the weekly garbage bin. And chances are good that if you’re lucky enough to have an organics recycling service, that pet waste may still be a no-no.
A quick online search will tell you that many individual households are finding unique ways to cycle pet waste back to nature.
In addition to open air above ground backyard composting, options to manage pet waste at home include:
Here are two great resources that will help focus your search for solutions:
See a flow chart – dog poo can be green too (pictured on the right here) based on the book that will show you how to customize your approach based on location, situation, weather, needs and available time.
An Australia researcher and PhD candidate Emily Bryson, also known as Dr Dog Poo is based in Adelaide. She is currently studying whether we can compost dog poo at home and make it safe for use in backyard food gardens (2020).
The easiest solution for many households is placing pet waste in your green or FOGO bin (food organics and garden organics). More and more local community waste services are coming on board and providing this service.
This infographic below, provides options for households where this service is not available. Below the flowchart are videos to help you put the options into practice.
The Pet Poo author chose ‘how to’ videos based on value and clarity of content for the following:
1. Bokashi: What is it? – Making Bokashi mix – Drying Bokashi after making bokashi mix
2. Bokashi Lite: Bokashi Cycle offers a simple commercial system. Pet Waste Disposal Video – How to bury the fermented pet waste
3. Flush: (Sewer connection only, no septic tank.) Flushing dog poop down the toilet – without a bag, only the waste – is a valid disposal method, says the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Don’t want to use your bathroom toilet? Search online for flushing or power flush options for dog waste or check out this simple solution to creating a doggy doo drain.
4. Trash:-( : Moves directly to the local landfill.
5. Burial: This can be a simple hole or a nicely finished one like this
6. Composting: Using a compost bin on the ground or using an enclosed container
7. Vermiculture: Worm Farm! Don’t feed the worms poo if your pet is taking worm medication! Only input pet poo without other food items. Check out this video for more information
8. Moldering: Cold or slow composting (rotting). Can be done in ventilated closed containers using sawdust, on the ground in an enclosed moldering cove or digging a spot in the garden for it
9. Biodigestion/septic bin: Do not throw in bags! You can use dry bokashi mix to help speed things up. Video 1 – Video 2