Surely you have ever wondered where to throw your dog or cat's feces. If you are one of those people who care about waste recycling or if you are curious to know where you should deposit your pet's feces, you are in the right place. We are going to tell you everything you need to know about it.
It is clear that if you wrap your pet's excrement in a plastic bag, it should be placed in the orange container (the one for remains), but... What if you use a compostable bag? Can you put them in the brown container (for organic waste)?
What are compostable bags?
Compostable bags are those that are made with organic materials, that is, of natural origin, which degrade into compost, an excellent natural fertilizer. Normally these materials are biopolymers called bioplastics, made from potato starch or corn starch.
Their origin is vegetal and therefore they degrade like vegetables. These materials do not leave any plastic waste in the environment, as happens with biodegradable plastic bags (you can click here to learn the differences between compostable and biodegradable ).
Where should dog feces be thrown in Madrid if you collect it with a compostable bag?
According to the information on the official website of the Madrid City Council, pet excrement must be thrown away (orange container). Although they are biodegradable, feces contain microorganisms that can withstand the composting process and, therefore, can pose a health risk. And it is ALWAYS like that, even if they are put in a compostable bag.
The same thing happens with cat feces when we collect them from the litter box, even if we do not use any bag (whether compostable or not) to wrap them, they must be deposited in the waste container (orange).
" Although they are biodegradable, excrement cannot be mixed with organic waste because it may contain microorganisms that can remain in these materials despite the composting process. To avoid health risks, these waste must be deposited in the orange-lidded container (the rest Cat litters also cannot be mixed with organic litter because they are made of inorganic materials."
So why should I use a compostable bag for my dog's poop?
The answer to this question is very simple.
The rest's garbage ends up in landfills where it degrades little by little. And that's where the type of bag we use for our pets' waste makes a difference. Dog poop placed in a plastic bag will take approximately 55 years to disappear. Furthermore, the bag will never disappear completely as it will leave microplastics in the environment.
Meanwhile, a bag made with bioplastic (compostable) should take less than 12 months to completely degrade.
54 years difference? Don't say that it's not worth choosing the eco-friendly option.
At Paraíso Mascota we have compostable bags available that have the European compostability certificate. Plus, they have a really cool design!
That's all for today =D If you have any questions or would like us to answer your questions in future posts, contact us. We will be happy to help you!
Source: Frequently asked questions about organic waste collection , Madrid City Council.
