This blog post will answer the question, “is dog poop biodegradable” and cover topics like the biodegradability of dog poop and frequently asked questions related to the topic.
Is dog poop biodegradable?
Yes, dog poop is biodegradable. However, dangerous germs are discharged into the environment when the fecal matter breaks down.
What Elements Affect the Decomposition of Dog Poo?
We must quickly review some of the elements contributing to the breakdown process. Even if it’s not very thrilling, it’s still an important element of the discourse.
- Diet
- Climate
I will now elaborate on these.
Diet
The nutrition of your dog significantly affects how quickly the excrement breaks down. Dogs are omnivores, meaning they consume both plant-based and animal-based meals, although their diets tend to be highly heavy in protein.
Any dog that consumes a lot of protein will produce feces that are hard on the environment and takes longer to break down.
In contrast, a dog eating a diet rich in grains and vegetables would produce feces that is easier on the environment and breaks down more quickly.
Climate
The decomposition process will be greatly influenced by your location and the season you are in. The amount of time it takes for the dog’s excrement to decompose might take up to a year, depending on how cold it is.
Of course, in warmer climates, it works the other way around. The rate of decomposition of the excrement increases with the temperature. Decomposition of canine waste takes an average of 9 weeks.
How to properly dispose of dog waste?
Here’s how you can properly dispose of dog waste:
- Used plastic bags
- Biodegradable bags
- Compostable bags
- Disposable bags
- Flushing
- Waste disposal services
- Digester
- Composting
I will now elaborate on these.
Used plastic bags
Although it’s not the ideal method, it is practical for getting rid of your dog’s feces. The excrement is transported securely to the dump without polluting anything else, and you get to reuse your old shopping bags.
Biodegradable bags
Regular plastic bags should be replaced with biodegradable ones. After a few days, they fall apart, allowing the feces to mix with the landfill’s environment.
Be aware that oxo-biodegradable bags only partially decompose and cause microscopic levels of plastic waste.
Compostable bags
Use biodegradable bags made of organic material to become greener. They do not in any way contribute to environmental pollution since they are created without using any derivatives of plastic.
Compostable bags are designed to break down at a certain temperature, which is often attained in compost heaps.
Disposable bag
When these biodegradable bags are exposed to water, they disintegrate. You may flush these so-called flushable bags down the toilet along with your dog’s waste.
Insufficient plumbing still increases the chance of clogging when using flushable toilet bags. Furthermore, it is not advised to discard these bags in the garbage since they can leak if they come into touch with any liquid.
Flushing
The most ecologically friendly method of getting rid of canine excrement is flushing. Since the sewage water is sterilized at a treatment facility before being deposited, the feces does not pollute the environment.
Even if the bag is biodegradable, be sure you flush the actual piece of waste. Any bag offers the possibility of clogging.
Waste disposal services
If your neighborhood is full of pet dogs, this is a practical choice. A professional trash disposal service will empty the designated containers near your home for you after you place your dog’s waste there.
The canine feces is disposed of by the garbage collectors in an ecologically appropriate manner. Together with other local pet owners, you may split the cost of this service, making it more affordable for everyone.
Digester
The toxins in your dog’s feces may be effectively neutralized by using a digester. It is a box with holes in it that you bury in your yard. The digester will transform canine waste into a sterile liquid that can be absorbed by the soil when you add water, enzyme, and waste.
Composting
Making compost out of pet waste is another application for it. You have two options for disposing of the waste: either in your backyard compost pile or at a composting facility.
Remember that growing fruits or vegetables won’t be possible with the created manure. However, you may still use it for flower arrangements and decorative plants.
You may dispose of your dog’s waste correctly using any one of these methods. The best course of action is to dispose of your dog’s waste right away since dog excrement might spread parasite infections.
By doing this, you and your dog will be less likely to step on excrement when he wants to relieve himself in the future.
Dogs don’t wash their paws, therefore if they enter the home with muddy paws, other animals and people may get sick.
Whipworms, hookworms, & roundworms may all be avoided by immediately removing your dog’s feces. Parvo, coccidia, giardia, and whipworms can all be avoided as well.
How Much Time Does Dog Poo Take to Decompose?
Given the proper environmental conditions, dog excrement will decompose since it is organic waste.
This might take a few weeks, months, or even a year, depending on the weather. The dog feces will begin to degrade as soon as the first week has passed in the summer since there will be sufficient heat.
On the other hand, dog waste may break down in a year when it is cold outside. Similar to storing anything in the freezer, the absence of heat will prevent germs and fungus from growing.
Dog excrement, unlike plastics & other artificial things, will ultimately decompose. On the ecology, it also has detrimental effects. One reason is that the toxicity of your dog’s waste might turn your lawn’s grass brown. The same holds true for their urine.
Despite the fact that it is organic waste, do not make the error of believing it will fertilize your grass. When it is not subjected to sufficient biodegradation, the toxicity level will be too high.
Dog feces decomposition times mostly rely on two variables. The sort of food that your pet consumes comes first.
Why Does Dog Poop Cause Such Environmental Problems?
Do you collect your dog’s excrement into “biodegradable” bags before disposing of it as the millions of other owners do?
You can be walking on secluded paths when your dog poops, and you may assume it’s okay to throw it into the bushes since it will naturally decay there and no one will step on it.
The Pet Poo Pocket Guide: How to Properly Compost and Recycle Pet Waste was written by Rose Seemann, the creator of the pet composting business Envirowagg.
“We have septic systems for the large quantity of dog and cat waste that is now present—as much as there were human feces in the 1950s. In recent years, up to 60% of families have dogs or cats, up from 40% in recent years. Therefore, we must take action with respect to this dog excrement”, she says.
Unfortunately, unless it is a highly-rated biodegradable variety, the bag used will take many years to completely disintegrate, if at all. We scoop a lot of rubbish that ends up in landfills.
At Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, Professor Leigh Ackland oversees the Center for Cellular & Molecular Biology in the School of Life & Environmental Sciences. Her own dog’s waste has been composted for many years.
She emphasizes that fecal coliform bacteria is a serious issue and that it is normal for excrement allowed to decompose naturally to enter our rivers via runoff.
“Due to all the additional nutrients from the dog feces, you will have algal blooms or bacterial multiplication, and the water gets polluted, with possible health problems.”
How Quickly Does Dog Poo Disintegrate?
No one, particularly not your neighbors, is ever comfortable with the scent of dog excrement.
In warmer conditions, dog feces takes 8 to 9 weeks to disintegrate. According to scientific research, a gram of dog excrement contains up to 23 million germs, of which more than 100 species are responsible for the foul smell.
We’re sorry to break it to you, but your dog’s feces may significantly harm the ecology in only eight weeks. Even though it’s your yard, you should sweep that excrement up and properly dispose of it.
A compost pile is an ideal location for dog waste to decompose. Dogs often consume both veggies and protein since they are omnivores.
You may probably predict which will decay more quickly: meals made of plants and vegetables. Protein, however, will need more time. One of the reasons it is not advised to leave your pet’s waste in your yard is because of this.
The majority of dog diets are high in protein. The climate is another element that affects how long it takes for dog feces to degrade. It will deteriorate quicker in warm climates.
A dog’s excrement decomposes during the following period of time:
- Week 1: The feces will mostly remain unchanged and be highly contaminated with dangerous germs.
- Week 2: The bacteria’s potency will grow during the second week, making it more harmful to people or any wildlife that comes into touch with it. It will also be becoming a little bit darker.
- Week 3: In week 3, you see a little amount of surface mold development. The belief that it is internal indicates that microbial activity has begun in earnest.
- Week 4: In the fourth week, parasites that may have been present in the dog excrement begin to develop from their eggs.
- Weeks 5 to 8: Each week, there is a higher chance that germs may spread via your dog’s feces. At this point, the grass around the excrement area also begins to wither.
- Week 9: By the ninth week, you could assume that all of the feces has disappeared.
Conclusion:
In this post, I discussed the biodegradability of dog poop, how to dispose of dog poop, and factors affecting the dog poop decomposition.
Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs), “Is dog poop biodegradable?”
Can dog waste harm the environment?
Although it goes without saying that poop is a part of nature, dog poop includes nutrients that might harm the ecosystem of sensitive regions.
No matter where you take your dog for a walk, it is crucial to pick up, bag, and throw away dog waste to maintain the preservation of these natural places for everyone’s enjoyment.
How long does feces take to decompose?
The arithmetic is quite bad: Humans may create up to a pound of waste every day, and it takes a year for human waste to decompose. Humans may create up to one pound of waste every day, and it takes a year for it to biodegrade.
Is dog waste beneficial to your lawn?
Dog feces, which is not a fertilizer like a cow dung, is not excellent for grass. And, unlike what the general public believes, not all feces are made equal. Dogs produce very acidic feces or waste products due to their high protein diet.
How dangerous is dog waste?
Fecal coliform bacteria are present in pet excrement in addition to worms and protozoa.
This particular bacterial group contains the bacterium E. Coli, which when consumed in polluted water, may result in cramps, diarrhea, serious intestinal and renal illnesses, and even death.