Waste Management at Home
- Keep the ground around all outdoor garbage and dumpster areas free of trash, sediment and debris.
- Keep lids on dumpsters and trash cans whenever possible.
- Fix any leaks in garbage cans or dumpsters.
- Clean up any spills immediately.
For information on recycling drop-off sites, visit our recycling information page.
Pet Waste
- When walking your pet, remember to pick up the pet waste and dispose of it properly. Flushing pet wet is the best disposal method. Leaving pet waste on the ground increases public health risks by allowing harmful bacteria and nutrients to wash into the storm sewer system and eventually into local surface waters.
We all know that pet waste left unattended is just plain gross. But did you know that unscooped poop causes huge problems for waterways like rivers, lakes, and streams? The EPA classifies dog waste as non-point source pollution, along with herbicides and insecticides, oil, grease, and toxic chemicals. Not only is pet waste unsightly and smelly, but it contains an abundance of bacteria, parasites, worms, and more that wash into local waterways and pollute our natural resources. Pet waste can also make people, pets, and wildlife very sick by acting as a vector for disease transmission. It even attracts unwanted attention from pests.
E. coli and Other Dangers
One of the biggest risks associated with pet waste is E. coli bacteria. Dog poop can contain 23 million E. coli bacteria per gram of waste, and the average pile contains nearly 3 billion E. coli bacteria! Pet waste also hosts giardia, salmonella, parvo, worms, viruses, parasites, and more. These can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and other unpleasant symptoms. Even after solids are washed away, these unwanted guests can stick around on the ground for years!
Pet Waste in the Water
If left unattended, pet waste and the associated contaminants are picked up by stormwater when it rains. Stormwater (and the pollutants it picks up along the way) is washed down storm drains, where it travels untreated and unfiltered into Bradenton's waterways. In areas that lack storm drains, stormwater flows directly to nearby waterways.
Pet Waste FAQs and Common Misconceptions
You may find yourself wondering…
Isn’t it bad to put plastic bags full of poop in the landfill? Landfills are lined to prevent contaminants from leaching out into soil and groundwater. Plastic grocery bags make great pet waste bags, and it enables the bags to be repurposed. Biodegradable pet waste bags are also available for purchase.
Why do I need to pick it up if it’s in my own yard or the woods behind my house? Even if you don’t live near a body of water, E. coli bacteria and other contaminants are still picked up by rainwater and carried into local waterways. Everybody lives in a watershed, and every watershed drains into local waterways before eventually traveling to the ocean.
Isn’t dog poop a natural fertilizer? No! A dog’s diet and gut composition are much different than those of manure producing animals, such as cows and chickens. The high levels of bacteria, parasites, worms, and other pests are unsafe to be used as fertilizer. Dog poop is also highly acidic, which means using dog poop as fertilizer will produce the exact opposite results than you had intended for your yard.
What about wild animals? Dog poop contains 23 million bacteria per gram, which is far more than wild animals. The natural environment has evolved to handle wildlife that is naturally found in those areas but can only naturally support about 2 dogs per square mile.
Can I compost pet waste? Yes! Special pet waste digesters and composters are available. Pet waste should never be added to a regular compost pile. Pet waste must steadily reach temperatures of 165 degrees or more to kill any unwanted bacteria and eliminate the risk of making humans and animals sick. Traditional compost piles do not generally reach these temperatures.