America's 71 million dogs produce 29,000 tons of waste each day.
Study by city of San Francisco has shown that dog poop occupies 3.4% of residential landfills.
Storm water carries dog poop and other dog waste directly into waterways. Pet
waste is responsible for up to 90%
of all bacterial watershed pollutionin urban areas of the
U.S.
Dog poop has a lot of nitrogen and adding nitrogen to our water depletes the
oxygen needed for fish and wildlife.
Plastic
bags or even biodegradable
bags when thrown in an air tight landfill would overcrowd our land
and not biodegrade. An
EPA report states, "Flushing pet waste is the best disposal method".
E. coli, Giardia, Salmonella live inside dog poop and are dangerous to
babies, humans
and other animals when they enter our water system.
Roundworms and hookworms are also common in dog poop. These parasites are
dangerous too when we contact them in soil.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 2 days worth of
dog waste from about 100 dogs would
contribute enough pollution to close a bay, and all
watershed areas within 20 miles of it.
Dog waste is 75% water and can be
recycled.
Remaining 25% of dog waste can be used
as fertilizer for non-food crops.