DIY Backyard Pet Waste Digester

A project of www.SustainableAtwood.org Madison WI
Due to a lack of oxygen in landfills, the decomposition of food scraps and pet waste produce methane, a greenhouse gas.
That's why it is illegal to put pet waste in the trash.
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Digesters are the easiest way to compost any type of kitchen scraps, including meat, breads, dairy, and processed foods. Since these food scraps often attract rodents, the enclosed, half-buried digester acts as a deterrent.
Digesters can also be used to compost pet waste, and they work very well in small backyards when the goal of composting is waste diversion as opposed to soil building.
The same digester can be used for both kitchen scraps and pet waste.
Biobags used to collect pet waste can be added to the digester.
Wait at least 2 years before harvesting a digester used for pet waste, and never put this finished compost near edible crops.
If you are composting pet waste, be sure to locate the digester far from your veggie garden and fruit bearing trees or plants so the leachate doesn't reach your food crops.
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Thanks to Lucky, Auggie Guinn and family, Bibith, and Bad Dog Frida (baddogfrida.com). Special thanks to Brent Goodman for his music.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• sustainable atwood
• wisconsin
• landfill
• methane
• digester
• compost

[tania53704]

While I really liked the video it left me with a few questions.  What about cat poop? Does litter go in or just the poop? What do you do with it when the product is broken down after the 2 years or will the yard just be filled with old garbage cans? Can it be used in a garden as the compost material?

[DowntownDailies]

@tania53704 this is a neighborhood test project, so we have not done it before. but from others' experience, the hole will file and recede with the seasons, and when it is completely full, it will be soil. Move the bin to another location, or dig the same hole again and use the soil on flowers etc. I think cat litter would fill the hole too fast and is not going to decompose like the poop. There is a great res1ource on the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre website under 'Digesters'.

[scottnelsen]

what does the digesting? i don't see anything that will accelerate the breakdown of the waste like with the doggy dooley systems.

[Illchangeitlater]

Nice video, but I wouldn't spend money oon the biodegradable bags though. (costs energy and fossil fuels to make and tranport) you're better of just using a pooperscooper(that you buy or make only once), the bags take veeeery long to decompose with the little oxygine in the bin anyway.

[phoDOGrapherdotca]

You can get biodegradable cat litter, too!