Scooping up after pets protects local waterways, Fox River from contamination, official says

ST. CHARLES – You don’t want to step in it.

You don’t want your dog to do worse.

But, when dog walkers dutifully scoop up after their pets, they’re doing more than just being good citizens. They’re also protecting local waterways such as the Fox River from contamination, as un-scooped pet waste is carried away by rain.

Kat Gerdts, administrative coordinator of the Kane-DuPage Soil & Water Conservation District, based in St. Charles, said they did the math on dog waste: 21 billions pounds produced annually in the U.S.

“Studies have shown that it’s a leading cause of storm water contamination, polluting the water and making it unsafe for swimming and drinking,” according to the conservation district’s latest newsletter. “It can have serious consequences for the environment, as well as the plants and animals living in the water.”

Gerdts said the options are limited to scooping into bags and putting them in the trash or installing a pet waste digester in your back yard – if you can. But do not add pet waste to backyard compost.

Some areas, Gerdts said, have too much clay in the soil and the digester won’t work.

“The right thing is to pick it up,” Gerdtz said. “The best option is to get it out of the water system.”

Putting dog waste into the toilet is not the answer either, she said, because treatment plants are geared for human waste, not the different bacteria of dogs’ waste.

Gerdts said those considering flushing dog waste should check with their municipal wastewater department first.

And for those paying extra for biodegradable bags, Gerdts said they shouldn’t waste their money.

“It’s a wonderful sentiment. If they sat on the surface of the world, they would degrade, because in the landfill, they will not degrade,” Gerdts said.

How they did the math to arrive at 21 billion pounds was based on an estimated nearly 77 million dogs in the U.S. as of 2018, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, with each dog producing about 274 pounds of waste per year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, according to the newsletter.

There is no statewide law requiring dog waste to be picked up, but Kane County and municipalities, such as St. Charles, have ordinances requiring pet deposits to be collected.