Crappy Canine Compost, Anyone?

Have you ever stopped to think about how much poop your pooch produces? The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average dog produces .75 lbs each day. Now let's see…

.75 x 365 = 274 lbs per dog each year and there are approximately 77.5 million dogs in the U.S. so... 274 lbs x 77,500,000 = 21.2 billion lbs of landfill clogging dog poop each year!

Holy…well, you know. And typically, we use a plastic bag to pick it up. Now, you could reuse a grocery bag or you could purchase biodegradable poop bags but the sad fact about Landfills is that they are essentially really big Tupperware containers. Decomposition requires light, air and water - all of which are absent in a landfill. Landfill operators have to cover the garbage with layers of dirt to contain the smell, prevent garbage from blowing away and absorb liquids that might contaminate ground water. In 1973, William Rathje, an archeologist at the University of Arizona, began the Garbage Project where he and his students dug up old garbage to study human behavior. One discovery they made was that even after decades, newspapers were still legible and apples still had teeth marks in them. Enough said.

So how can we safely keep our dog's doody out of the landfills? You may have heard that it is not safe to compost pet waste. There are certain risks involved in handling any kind of waste: unsanitary conditions, smell and parasites. Due to these risks, municipalities tend to discourage people from the practice. But this does not mean that the average dog owner can’t compost their dog’s waste safely. There are a couple of things to keep in mind:


And if you plan to use the final product as fertilizer…

If you aren’t super ambitious but still want to keep the waste out of the garbage then you can use what I consider to be the lazy man’s solution. It works just like a septic tank. The beauty of this system is that it is below ground and requires very little maintenance. There are even products on the market such as the Doggie Dooley but you can create your own for much less. Below are two videos. The first is of a woman who has used the method for years and the second details instructions for creating your own. One feature I recommend adding to the septic system is to backfill the space around the ‘tank’ with rocks rather than dirt to promote better air flow. Choose a dry spot in your yard for your hole. If the waste is too wet it might smell. Incidentally, you can also add leftover bones, meat, cheese and other food items (never rotten materials) that are not suitable for your regular food waste composter!






Should you want to use the finished compost around your yard (but not on edible plants) then there are several methods to choose from. In December 2005 the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Alaska produced a report, "Composting Dog Waste". It was in response to the fact that mushers (with around 20 dogs) were literally up to their ears in it which posed a significant public health risk. In this comprehensive report, they provide detailed information on how to safely and effectively turn your pet’s poop into quality compost for your yard.


So has anyone ever tried to compost and sell this brown gold on a large scale? Why, yes! EnviroWagg in Aurora, CO has struck out on a crappy crusade to collect dog waste from shelters, dog parks and pooper scoopers and turn it into Doggone Good Compost. Thanks, EnviroWagg!


You know where to reach us if you have any questions about starting your own dog waste composter in your yard…630-730-3401.

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