Plastic bags and dog poop!

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lou
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Plastic bags and dog poop!

Post by lou »

Ok, so a bizzare title, but i haven't had carrier bags for a while now, got some reusable ones and a couple of cloth ones. So my stock of carrier bags has now gone.
But i have a dog, and would use the bags to pick her poop up in (sorry if tmi) and for the kitchen bin. i do recycle everything i can, and am getting a compost bin from the council soon (as they offer it cheaper then in the shops)
So those of you with pets what do you with "waste" that needs disposing of, what do you do if you don't have carrier bags?
And what do you put kitchen waste in that can't be recyled.

What im getting at is it worth getting the degradable ones? Are they expensive?

Or was it better to reuse the plastic bags in the first place?
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wendy
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Post by wendy »

I am fortunate that I have a manhole in my garden. So I scoop and put it straight down there.
If they have an accident outside [rare] then I do use the pedigree black ones. But I haven't a clue how much as Spencer gets them free from Battersea Dogs Home. I then put it in the council bins provided.
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rachell24
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Post by rachell24 »

thats so wierd Lou, I was thinking the exact same thing today as I was using a t'co bag thinking "this is all your good for" LOL

Rachel
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Meanqueen
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Post by Meanqueen »

Hi Lou, Putting one dog poop in a carrier bag is a bit of a waste. I use the bags for life for shopping, but still have carrier bags left over from my business, so I am using them in my kitchen bin, but I have so little waste it takes me 3 weeks to fill one. Here, our council collects glass, tins, plastic, cardboard, and compostable garden and kitchen waste. I heard that Ireland did away with plastic carrier bags, and sales of bin liners went sky high, so the object was defeated because people still need a bag of some sort to put in their kitchen bin.

This is what I do for dog poop, I have a plastic childs spade, like they use on the beach. I put this in a poop bag, then put that into a carrier bag, scrunch bag up and hold in hand. I take extra poop bags with me. Dog does poop, pick up with spade, put into poop bag, then get clean poop bag and put spade into that. Put both poop bags into carrier bag, not scrunched up, and chuck poop in bin when passing. Keep same carrier bag for ages till it wears out.

I don't buy dog poop bags, I collect all plastic bags for this purpose, you don't need handles on them. Bread bags, veg and fruit bags, eg, spuds, carrotts, bananas, apples, etc, breakfast cereal bags, bags that come in the post with magazines in them, bags that have supplements in them inside Sunday papers. In fact any type of plastic bag. I can't see the point of buying biodegradable bags when there are all these free ones about, which are going to get dumped anyway.

Ilona
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manda
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Post by manda »

Funnily enough I have been searching the internet about this as we have just got a puppy and I wanted to look at eco friendly ways of getting rid of all the poo.

You can get biodegradable bags but they are pretty expensive (but then the cost to the environment of normal plastic is huge - 100 years for a standard bag to decompose).

We have looked at those bio dog loo's, you can get them made from recycled plastic and then add the stuff that breaks it down, or, get an old plastic bucket and then stick some holes in it and put the stuff in to break it down.
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lou
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Post by lou »

Ilona - what good thinking, i didn't think about the the other packaging you get from stuff you buy, i will start using that instead for doggie poo!
Wendy- i wish i could rely on my dog not go to the toilet when we are out, something that has always bothered me but she always does i can bet on it!
It just leaves the kitchen waste.
Our council supply us with clear recyle bags, but they don't take glass so we have to do that ourselfs, and as i said we are waiting for a compost bin, although having a dog, cat and chickens they do get lots of the scraps.

Thanks for replying, Lou xx
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wendy
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Post by wendy »

Manda
I tried those dog loos, but some years ago, and they didn't work. Just stank to high heaven. Maybe they are better now.

Do you need any leaflets about biting, housetraining etc ? if you do I will send them over.
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manda
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Post by manda »

Oh wendy that would be great...one on biting. To be fair to him (Jack) he is soooo good he is 15 weeks now and he's house trained, sits when he's told and fetches (most of the time) so he's a little star but the biting thing...I think a lot of it is mouthing but it would be good to have some advice to make sure we are doing things the easiest way for us and him.
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wendy
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Post by wendy »

Yes it is mouthing. I will sort it out.
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lou
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Post by lou »

What breed have you got?
"Happiness is making the most of what you have."
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manda
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Post by manda »

Firstly Thanks for the info Wendy...Toby is now scanning as we speak!!

Jack is a Chocolate Lab...he is just gorgeous- but then of course I'm baised!
Have to say he has got such a lovely nature and he's so eager to learn everything. On the plus side he is very good with the girls too which is a BIG BONUS as I'm sure our ladies would gang up on him and put him in his place, the cat has been on the receiving end of their temper and now knows better!!
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Post by sharon the chauffeur »

whats wrong with using paper bags as these compost down too ok a little longer but its a thought?
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Meanqueen
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Post by Meanqueen »

You can't put dog poop in a paper bag, they don't always do a solid lump, and it would go all soggy before you found a dog poop bin or took it home. Dog poop is dangerous, full of horrible nasties.

Ilona
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Mo
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Post by Mo »

Paper bag inside a plastic bag, then dispose of the contents and reuse the outer?
But there are usually loads of plastic bags lying around, so no need.
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wendy
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Post by wendy »

This is true it would be better. But there aren't that many paper bags around to use, and you would certainly need to put them in something. Otherwise you would be wearing it :shock: .
The bags made especially for dog poop does decompote down fairly quickly. I have had some I kept for a while and I couldn't use them because they were just falling apart. What it does to the earth when it does disintegrate I don't know.
What I find strange, is we have to pick up something which is natural and will depompose down in a few weeks, if not we are given a huge fine £1000 I have heard around here. Yet people are not fined huge amounts for dropping plastic bottles and metal cans. Which if left will take a lot longer than a few weeks.
Don't get me wrong folks. I believe wholeheartedly in picking up after your dog. It is just it seems to be a bit strange.
Wendy
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If you can't be a good example........
you will just have to be a horrible warning
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