
- #Have you ever thrown dog waste in the trash without a bag full#
- #Have you ever thrown dog waste in the trash without a bag professional#
#Have you ever thrown dog waste in the trash without a bag professional#
This fact sheet from the US department of agriculture gives super helpful advice and professional tips for composting dog waste. Cure your finished compost for several months before using it.When the temperature starts to decline, usually after about two weeks, you should turn the pile.

#Have you ever thrown dog waste in the trash without a bag full#
When your bin is full you should cover it so the microbes can get to work.Make sure to keep the pile moist! You should add water in small amounts so they compost has the texture of a wet sponge.If you are just beginning then you can use soil from your garden. Every few days you can add a shovel full of old compost on to the pile to speed up digestion.For every two shovels full of dog waste, add at least one shovel full of sawdust or other carbon material. As you add dog pop to the bin, cover it with a shovel full of carbon materials.Drill holes in the side of your trash bin that will hold the compost.Cold water will lower the temperature of the compost and we want it to stay warm. Water from a garden hose is okay however, you may want to let the water sit in the sun to get warm before adding it to compost. You will also need two bins, one to contain the composting materials and one to actively compost in, a shovel to turn the compost, a long-stemmed thermometer, and a water supply. Carbon materials that can be used are things like sawdust, straw or hay, and shredded newspaper. Nitrogen materials are your “wet” materials, dog waste, green grass clippings and vegetable waste work best. When you begin composting you will need some nitrogen-rich materials and some carbon-rich materials. But, remember it should not be used on plants you intended to consume. This compost can be used as mulch material and can be a good source of plant nutrients for your potted plants and garden. If you compost the dog poop correctly you can actually destroy the harmful pathogens that are found in dog waste.Ĭomposting lessens the chances that dog poop will pollute groundwater and streams. However, when you produce good compost you can create a quality soil additive that will improve the condition and fertility in your soil. If the soil in your yard is lacking organic matter no store-bought fertilizer will get you the results you are looking for in your lawn. When you compost dog poop it becomes a nutrient that will improve your yard and trees. Benefits of Composting Dog WasteĮach year, tons of pet waste is thrown into trash cans and ends up in sanitary landfills, by composting we can reduce the amount of waste in landfills.Īccording to the EPA composting can reduce the volume of dog waste by 50 percent. Composting dog waste is a natural process that requires water, organic matter, air, microbes, and a little human intervention. You might be wondering, what is composting anyway?Ĭomposting is the controlled breakdown or degradation of organic material into a product known as humus. According to the EPA dog waste is a safe soil additive for revegetation and landscaping when it is composted properly.

They can live in the soil for years so it’s best to keep your dogs waste away from your gardens or from where your animals can get to it. coli and salmonell along with several types of worms like ringworm and tapeworm. Parasites and bacteria can live in dog waste including E. It very much is - it's just NOT safe to use in compost that will be used for consumable vegetation. There is a huge misconception that dog waste is not compostable. The EPA estimates that the average dog creates about ⅓ of a pound of waste per day - or about 275 pounds per year! Composting your dog’s waste is an inexpensive method for disposing of this waste and it can enhance the environment as well as reduce the amount of waste being added into landfills. When dog waste is not cleaned up properly it will pollute the ground and surface water, attract flies/pests, create an unsanitary environment for dogs and other animals, which can transmit parasites and other infectious diseases back to humans. Recently we published a dog blog on reasons why you should pick up your dog's poop. The short answer is yes, dog waste is compostable, but there are necessary precautions you must take first to make sure you're composting the waste properly.
