Cat Litter Waste now Allowed in Compost Bins
Until recently, all feline waste was thrown into plastic bags, tossed into garbage bins, and sent to landfills to sit among kilos of inorganic discarded materials. But to the relief of the animal shelter and cat owners of Pictou County, cat litter can now be put into compost bins with other organic matter.
Animal shelters that house several cats and homeowners who have more than one cat in their households use on average eight kilograms of cat litter annually, adding up to 340 tonnes of waste that should be composted instead of being sent to the dump. Upon this discovery, Pictou County officials knew that they had to take action.
Composting cat litter is one of the many ways waste management companies are keeping landfills free of materials that can be composted or recycled. Pictou’s organic waste team has been hard at work since its start in 1999, approving as many waste products for composting as possible. Today, more material than ever before can be turned into nutrient-rich soil and fertiliser.
Pictou County isn’t the only area implementing the new cat litter compost rule. Both Colchester County and the entirety of Prince Edward Island have managed to introduce compost bins to their citizens and encourage them to put their cat litter directly into those waste bins. Most cat owners don’t have to think twice about what’s in their litter, either - cat litter granules are typically made from wood, grains, paper, or clay, all of which are biodegradable.
Despite the big change in what can and can’t be put into compost bins, the process of breaking down organic material has remained the same. The compost produced by the region is always analysed before it becomes available for purchase to ensure Grade A quality, and the cat litter isn’t expected to lower the quality of the resulting compost. Compost buyers are usually farmers, greenhouses, and citizens with large gardens.
Not only is it damaging to put cat litter into the garbage bin when it can be composted, but it also weighs down already heavy garbage bags and takes up too much space inside them. Cat owners are looking forward to the option of putting cat litter into their compost bins, though they’ll still be allowed to put it into their garbage bins for an undetermined period of time.
Dog waste is not yet accepted in compost bins simply due to the commonality of it ending up in plastic bags that aren’t biodegradable. Even plastic bags labeled as such can’t be used to make compost, as their breakdown rate is too slow to properly contribute to the end product.
Pictou County currently accepts all types of food waste, yard waste, waxed paper, cardboard boxes, wooden boxes, and even dryer lint in their compost bins. Keep out recyclable and disposable things like plastic, diapers, personal hygiene items, ashes, and metal. Residents who don’t know where an item belongs should visit their area’s waste management website. Abide by the rules to preserve the health of our planet.
