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A Colorado
initiative
Experimentation and production
of DOGGONE GOOD COMPOST® began in late
Summer 2008 at a commercial composting site
north of Denver, Colorado. Dog waste from
the Broomfield County Commons Dog Park and
the Westminster Hills Dog Park was commercially
composted, cured, tested and bagged. We
test marketed the product in 2009 and currently
distribute bagged Doggone Good Potting Soil
Mixture to local
retail garden centers.
Composting reduces the volume of dog waste
by approximately 50%, so a large amount
of raw material is needed for production.
For this reason, "contributions"
by municipalities, parks and trails services,
nonprofit shelters, and dog daycares are
welcome. See
the KMGH Channel 7 news clip on how the
program works in Westminster.
Participation
and benefits
EnviroWagg currently operates
a weekly collection route along the Santa
Fe Drive - I-25 corridor from Englewood
to the composting site near Longmont. We
also collect monthly in Boulder. Pick-up
sites include parks
and other green partners that dispose
of large quantities of dog waste. We haul
and compost dog waste for a fee comparable
to other recyclers.
A composting program at public parks offers
municipalities an opportunity to educate
visitors about sustainability, plus composting
- motivates dog owners to pick up after
their pets,
- supports the use of compostable bags and
responsible disposal, and
- defuses antagonism between dog owners
and non-dog owners by keeping public spaces
clean.
Stephen
Hume documentary: When paws ignite passion
See Join
Us for details on establishing a dog
waste composting program at your local dog
park.
Dog daycares and shelters that upcycle their
dog waste are showing their customers and
donors that they take responsibility for
a safe, clean, sustainable environment.
All recycling
requires planning and effort.
This dog waste composting
project is no exception. But doing the right
thing is its own reward.
"Throwing something away can be fun,
let's admit it; but giving a guilt free
gift to the natural world is an incomparable
pleasure." Cradle to Cradle / Remaking
the Way We Make Things, William McDonough
and Michael Braungart, North Point Press,
2002
Read about do-it-yourself
pet waste recycling
Agencies concerned with
public health discourage pet waste composting.
And their concern is justified. If not done
conscientiously and with consistent effort,
the result could be pollution, odor and
illness.
That said, a quick online search will tell
you that many households and organizations
evolving toward sustainability are finding
unique ways to return pet waste back to
nature. In addition to composting, options
include pet waste septic systems, burial,
flushing into municipal septic sewers, vermiculture
and bokashi.
A few warnings!
- Keep inground pet waste septic systems
and burial trenches away from house foundations,
tree rooting, and ground water.
- All decomposition grinds to a stop when
temperatures drop below 40 degrees F. Bury
inground septic systems below frost line
for your area. Adding a PVC pipe entry at
the top will allow you to bury containers
deeper.
- When you recycle pet waste, do not include
film bags. Even certified compostable bags
will slow the process and take a long time
to degrade. The plastics in bags identified
as "biodegradable" may never properly
degrade. Paper bags and newspaper work best
because they add carbon to offset the waste.
- Dog and cat manure may contain hard-to-kill
pathogens that pose serious health risks.
Do not use do-it-yourself composted pet
manure on vegetable gardens or near fruit
trees. Tubers and other edibles could
become contaminated through direct contact
with the soil. Even thorough washing may
not remove harmful microorganisms.
- Do not deposit into storm sewers flowing
directly into waterways. The old adage
of "curb your dog" - puts you
dog's "business" in the gutter
where it can be washed into a storm sewer.
Bad business.
Flushing!
- If asked, most municipal water treatment
plants will disourage you from flushing
dog waste; however, the practice is EPA-approved.
- To avoid clogging plumbing, do not
flush waste-filled bags unless the bags
are specified as "flushable"
(usually alcohol-based film). No-brainer:
limit quantity of loose dog waste to avoid
back toilet back ups.
- Do not flush dog or cat waste into
a household septic tank. Hair in the
waste might cause outflow problems.
- Do not flush cat litter. Pathogens
in cat waste are destructive to aquatic
wildlife. Keep
cat waste away from untreated water sources
as the feces may contain Toxoplasma gondii,
a disease agent affecting otters.
- Commercial grade flushing systems that
connect directly to septic sewer lines are
available for outdoor installation. Search
online for pet waste flushing or power flush
options.
Still want to upcycle pet waste? Check out
these do-it-yourself instructions, consider
the pros and cons, and decide on a system
that works for your situation and location.
Then tweak it so it works even better!
City Farmer, Canada's Office of Urban Agriculture
- options for back yard disposal
City
Farmer - dog waste disposal video
Sierra
Club - helpful information on City Farmer's
lidded trash can disposal system
Super
easy back yard septic system, 1-2 dogs,
around $7
Video
on building a septic system using large
plastic trash can (note: do not build
near foundations)
Printed
instructions on how to build a septic system
- includes soil requirements
Two
suggestions for dog waste vermicomposting
(note: dog deworming meds will kill composting
worms!)
The
Dirt Doctor video - yard composting including
dog waste
Bokashi
fermentation for dog waste
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