Dog Poop in the Compost

Here's a lively discussion in our Berkeley Nextdoor email feed about dog poop in the green bin.

Can dog owners use newspapers (recyclable paper) to pick up dog poop and dispose into the green bins?

2 days ago

Ruth Konoff

, 

I don't think dog poop should go in the green can because of risk of microorganisms, especially in carnivore poop. In theory, it may sound like a good idea, since it does biodegrade, but the system they use will not guaranty to kill all of the microorganisms. Since the resulting compost is sold/given away for garden use, the poop should not be disposed of in green can.

Edited 2 days ago

Arkadeep Kumar

, 

Thanks Ruth. What about use newspapers to pick dog poop abd dispose in grey/ landfill bin?

Stephanie Henkle

, New

don't use any plastic (or get plastic bags from stores) !!! Buy 100% biodegradable dog poop bags!!! These are the best ones I have found. http://biobagusa.com/products/retail-products/pet-waste-products-retail/

Jane Tierney

, 

You can pick up and bring home. Sawdust or pine cat litter will help with the moisture and smell. You can get free sawdust (a wonder! wear a particulate mask) at Home Depot lumber departments. Take a tote. The sawdust will also help limit smell of the green bin. Don't use green bin for dog feces. Start a dog poop septic hole. They sell the devices on Amazon. I used one for about five years. Doggie-Dooley:

Helen Cameron

, 

Apparently, even poop bags are a complicated issue: "Here are some facts that even the most eco-friendly of dog owners may not have considered: On average, one dog generates a kilogram of poop every few days. As of 2016, the dog population of Canada was about 7.6 million. That equals over 2.5 million kilograms of dog poop created a day, and over 924 million kilograms a year. That’s a ton of poop, which leads to a heck of a lot of plastic poop bags being used. Approximately 500 million plastic poop bags are used annually throughout the world. One plastic bag can take over 500 years to degrade in a landfill; that is if it ever fully degrades. Hundreds of thousands of marine animals are killed yearly by plastic bags. Many environmentally-conscious dog owners make sure to pick up biodegradable dog poop bags. However, many of these bags are made with oxo-biodegradable material, which isn’t environmentally friendly at all. Oxo-biodegradable plastic has a chemical named EPI added within the manufacturing process, which helps it to break down. Instead of fully biodegrading, they break down into smaller pieces. This makes it a lot harder to clean up than the entire plastic bag would be. This leads to total ecological destruction; it seems that these so-called “biodegradable” products are actually making just as much of a mess as traditional plastic bags are. We need to find another alternative to getting rid of our dog’s waste. Along with this misinformation being spread regarding oxo-biodegradable materials, humans continue to rely on plastics, and they continue to infiltrate our environment in terrifying ways. The National Geographic recently revealed that scientists had found significant amounts of tiny plastic particles falling out of the air in a remote mountain location. If we don’t stop using oxo-biodegradable products, it won’t be too much longer before all of our air is filled with microplastics. As dog owners, we can start to help reduce plastic pollution on our planet. The more we educate ourselves on this issue, the more we can do to help save the world. Together, we can make a goal of completely eliminating our use of oxo-biodegradable plastic bags and single-use plastic bags, which can move us forward to a greener and cleaner future. We can start by using a truly eco-friendly, biodegradable dog waste bag. K9 Clean’s Eco Poop Scoop Bags contain no plastics whatsoever and, when they do degrade, they are completely consumed by micro-organisms. Our poop scoop bags are made of recycled paper, with a unique touchless system so that you don’t have to worry about accidentally touching your dog’s waste. It is possible to take great care of your dogs, responsibly dispose of their waste, and do your part in taking care of our planet. This is why it is important to not only purchase plastic-free products but to raise awareness with your friends and family about harmful products that are marketed as “sustainable.” When we educate ourselves and others, we have the opportunity to make a difference for future generations of people and dogs. COMMENTS Mr. Michael Stephen, Chairman of the Oxo-biodegradable Plastics Association wanted to share his thoughts on this article: “The Truth About Biodegradable Plastic Dog Poop Bags” is actually full of untruths. “The Truth About Biodegradable Plastic Dog Poop Bags” is actually full of untruths. 1. EPI is not the name of a chemical 2. The microplastics found in the environment are from ordinary plastics which have fragmented. These plastics need to be urgently upgraded with oxo-biodegradable technology. 3. Oxo-biodegradable bags do NOT just break down into tiny pieces. They convert into biodegradable materials very much more quickly than ordinary plastics, and they are therefore the best alternative. See http://www.biodeg.org/2018/11/06/uk-judge-find-the-case-for-oxo-biodegradable-plastic-proven/