The article will explain the biodegradability of crystal pet litter while also stating if it is eco-friendly or not. Sustainable ways to use crystal pet litter and greener alternatives will also be deliberated.
Is crystal pet litter biodegradable?
Crystal pet litter is not biodegradable because it is made from silica gel. Silica gel is inorganic in nature and therefore, microbes cannot break down the crystal pet litter into simpler materials.
Biodegradation is the breakdown caused by microbes including bacteria, fungi, and fungi. It is nature’s way to deal with waste heap buildup and the negative effects that come along.
Is Crystal pet litter made from natural materials?
Yes, crystal pet litter, as said, is made from silica gel which is basically mined. There are no artificial chemicals used to make crystal pet litter.
However, this can make you wonder why crystal pet litter is non-biodegradable, then. The main reason is present in innate biology.
It is stated and proposed that crystal pet litter is made from inorganic material. However, for something to be biodegradable, it must be both naturally derived and also organic.
This condition exists so that the microbes can use the material as food and in return, break it down into simpler materials that can become part of nature again.
Is Crystal pet litter sustainable?
It is a known fact that crystal pet litter is made from silica which needs to be mined. What this means is that there is the use of energy and most probably non-renewable sources of energy.
There are many problems and complications that are associated and anchored with the concept of mining. First is that, with mining, there is the consumption of non-renewable sources of energy.
This not only means that the non-renewable sources are depleted, but also that there is the addition of environmental problems such as pollution, global warming et cetera.
Another problem that is usually attached or anchored with the mining process is the blatant neglect of human rights as humans are forced to work like animals and many lives are lost in this process.
Can you convert Crystal pet litter into fertiliser?
No, you can not. The process that is usually involved is called composting. biodegradable, chances are it also is not compostable.
The same is observed in the case of crystal pet litter. Composting is done so that there is an increase in the organic content of the soil and therefore, as a result, there are benefits achieved such as increased yield, better production et cetera.
However, in the case of crystal pet litter, the organic inside is missing and therefore, the basic essence of composting can not be fulfilled. In light of this, it can be said that crystal pet litter can not be composted.
How to sustainably use crystal pet litter? (5 ways)
It is important to know what steps must be taken to sustainably use crystal pet litter because the usage is equally important as the disposal, if not more. For that, consider the following points:
- Do not dump cat litter openly as it can cause contamination
- Do not dump cat litter in your backyard or in open ground as pathogens in the faeces can contaminate the soil
- Do not dispose of cat litter in a flush because there are chances of contamination. Plus, wastewater treatments are not designed to cope with the pathogens present in cat faeces
- Regularly clean crystal pet litter as cat urine contains urea which can damage the litter if kept for a longer period of time
- Always empty the crystal pet litter in a trash bag before disposing it off so that there is no risk of contamination
What are the green alternatives?
Given the unsustainable points anchored with the crystal pet litter, the question becomes rather imperative as to what can be done from the consumer end to ensure that the environment is not put at any great risk.
One good thing that can be done is to substitute the use of crystal pet litter with greener options. Yes, there are greener options available that do a lot of good to the environment.
The reason is that these cat litter rely on biodegradable and eco-friendly sources such as plants, walnuts, corn, grass, and seeds. When cat litter is made from green sources, their impact on the environment from their use and disposal also becomes green and eco-friendly.
Therefore, let us rummage on some options that are available in the marketplace which can potentially substitute crystal pet litter. The options are
- TofuKitty cat litter
- Okocat
- World’s best cat litter
- Feline cat litter
- Arm and hammer cat litter
- Littermaid cat litter
The options given offer positive advantages that make these cat litter not only good for pets but also for the environment.
These options have a minimal impact because they are not only biodegradable but are also dependent on renewable sources. Further, as no mining is associated, there are no human-related risks and rights violations attached.
Conclusion
It is concluded that in the case of crystal pet litter, it is made of silica gel. Silica gel is sourced from nature but it is inorganic in nature. This means that it will not degrade into simpler materials.
Therefore, it can be confirmed that crystal pet litter is non-biodegradable because of its inorganic nature.
The article also discussed how crystal pet litter is bad for the environment that included points such as environmental problems, mining complications, consumption of non-renewable resources, and the impossibility of biodegradation and composting.
Therefore, the article gave greener and healthier options that included points such as
- Naturally-derived
- Biodegradable and compostable
- Made from recycled material
- Made from clean energy
- Avoid the use of chemicals, fragrances, and preservatives
References
- (July 26, 2020). Want to reduce your environmental impact? Start with your cat litter. Retrieved from https://rufusandcoco.com/blogs/blog/want-to-reduce-your-environmental-impact-start-with-your-cat-litter
- Batista, Candice. (June 24, 2022). Eco-friendly cat litter that won’t harm your cat. Retrieved from: https://theecohub.com/eco-friendly-cat-litter/
- Krosofsky, Andrew. (March 2, 2021). What is the best eco-friendly cat litter? Retrieved from: https://www.greenmatters.com/p/best-eco-friendly-cat-litter
- (March 17, 2022). Choosing the best natural cat litter. Retrieved from: https://www.onlynaturalpet.com/blogs/holistic-healthcare-library/choosing-the-best-natural-cat-litter