Compost Pet Poo for Organic Fertilizer
Because landfills are so 20th Century...
By Brielle Morgan
When life gives you dog poo, make organic fertilizer. At least that’s what NatureMill would have us do. And why not? Unlike traditional backyard composting, NatureMill’s pet-friendly composter (made from recycled and recyclable materials) requires next to no effort. Essentially, all you have to do is drop in the poo, along with any other organic materials, such as kitchen scraps like coffee grounds, dairy, veggie peelings, fish or meat. The computerized composter takes care of the rest for you through a quiet, odour-free process of mixing, moisturizing, and heating. Approximately two weeks later, 70 percent of the initial waste has disappeared into thin air while the remaining 30 percent has gone from greasy bacon to flower food. Hurrah! It’s equipped to handle up to 120 lb of waste per month so if you have a Great Dane (with great big, er, deposits), it’s no worries! The composter fits easily under your kitchen sink (though the pet-friendly model is recommended for your patio because of the poo factor) and requires only a standard electrical outlet, making the NatureMill decidedly non-lifestyle-cramping. Plus, NatureMill uses only 5kwh of energy per month—less than a garbage truck would burn in fuel to haul the same waste. All in all, for $399, the whiz kids behind this San Francisco-born invention have given us a great alternative to contributing to the landfill. Both your conscience and the environment will cheer.
naturemill.com
It is a shame that there wasn't more research done on this subject. According to the EPA, http://www.epa.gov/compost/basic.htm#nottodo, you should NEVER compost pet feces unless you can be guaranteed that the unit reaches over 130 degrees. This is the temperature that is necessary to get rid of bacteria in the feces. The EPA is telling people to dispose of their pet feces in the landfills; if you leave it in your yard or use it to fertilize your plants you are contaminating your yard and the water system.
This comment is in response to KRISTA's comment that "It is a shame that there wasn't more research done on this subject. According to the EPA, you should NEVER compost pet feces unless you can be guaranteed that the unit reaches over 130 degrees." I went to NatureMill.com web site and viewed the specifications on this product. This "pet friendly" composter reaches an internal temperature of 140 DEGREES, 10 degrees above what the EPA suggests for composting pet waste. I think this product is a great improvement to traditional composters because it allows you to include pet waste as well as meat, chicken and fish. (And it seems that Modern Dog DID research this product before publishing this article.)
I loved this item, and might purchase one - I have 4 dogs, so I might need two of them........ I wish the communities big and small would get on board and have some sort of recycling for dog poop program. Why can't they make larger units like this and sell them to communities, they don't want us to put our poop in the garbage in bags .
I live in newfoundland,canada. Where can I get one ,We have 5 dogs and this would be the ideal product for us.
It's a shame KRISTA did not read more carefully, and do more research, before posting inaccurate statements.
To KRISTA.
HA HA!!!
has anyone bought one? I would like to hear from people who have it
Actually, the instruction manual says that pregnant women should not handle COMPOST that came from cat feces because the parasite toxoplasma gondii may be present. The animal whose poop is used also (obviously) should be checked out by a vet to make sure it is healthy before composting the poop. So what happens if I accidently pick up poop from the neighbors dog? How do I know it is pest-free? Just to be safe, I would be more interested in using the Nature Mill for organic waste if I were to use the compost in my garden. For pet waste, I am a fan of the "doggie dooley" which uses bacteria and enzymes. It is completely contained, and doesn't put bad stuff where you're going to eat.
The oocysts from the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (which is what the infected cat sheds) is also destroyed at 50 degrees C for one hour. This is from research done by JP Dubey, Journal of Parasitology, Aug 1998; vol 84 (4). At 55-60 degrees C, the parasite is noninfective after just 2 and 1 minutes, respectively.
I do not know why people seem to think this parasite is especially indestructable, compared with roundworm and other worm eggs found in both cat and dog feces. Also, if your cats are strictly indoors and have not killed any rodents, their chances for carrying the parasite is quite low.
I believe the hype is because the disease, Toxoplasmosis, is particularly damaging to fetuses. However, when we review the facts, composting cat feces in a thermophilic environment will safely destroy the parasite.
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