HelpReducePollutionFromDogWaste

Weneedyourhelp!
PimaCountyisworkingwithlocalresidentstopromoteproperpickupanddisposalofpetwaste. Theamount
ofdogwasteleftonthesidewalks,trails,inparks,andalongwashesconcernsresidentsandlocalofficials.
Themessesaresmelly,unhealthynuisancesthatoftensomeoneotherthanthedogownerhastoremove.
Whilemanydogownersareresponsible,itstimetomakesurethatallpetwasteisproperlymanaged
forthegoodhealthandbenefitofeveryone.
Whyispetwasteaproblem?
Untreatedfecalmattercanbeasourceofharmfulbacteriaandnutrients.
PetwastecarriesdiseasecausingorganismssuchasE.coli,Cryptosporidium,Giardia,and
Salmonella.
Leavingpetwasteontheground,especiallyinpublicareaslikeroadways,parks,trails,washes,
andplayingfields,mayposeadiseaserisktochildren,adults,andotherpets.
Rainorwaterrunoffmaycarrythewastetootherareas.
Letsworktogethertokeepdogwaste
outofourwashes,neighborhoods,andrecreationalareas.
Doyourpart:scoopthepoop!
Scoopingyourpoochspoopisntjustacourtesyforthosewalkingbehindyouitsthehealthyand
environmentallysoundthingtodo.Peoplemaynotpickupaftertheirdogbecausetheythinkitsgrossor
theyrenotsurehowtodisposeofthewaste.Pickingupafteryourdogiseasyanditsthelaw!*
Reasonsforpickinguppetwaste:
It'sthelaw*
Environmentalreasons
Hygiene/healthreasons
Neighborhoodcourtesy
Itstherightthingtodo
Keepsthetrailclean
Herearesomeeasystepsfordealingwithyourpetswaste:
1. Alwayscarryaplasticbagwhenyouwalkyourdog.Reusinganoldnewspaperdeliverybagor
plasticgrocerybagworkswell.Toavoidunpleasantsurprises,checkthebagforholesbeforeyourpets
walk!
2. Usethebagasaglovetopickupthepetwaste.Turnthebaginsideoutaroundthewastescoopitup,
sealthebag,anddisposeofitinatrashcan.
3. Don'tplacebaggedorunbaggedpetwastein
astormdrainorhosepetwastetowardsthe
street.
4. Dontcompostpetwaste.Compostpilesmaynot
gethotenoughtokilldiseasecausingorganisms.
5. Removewastefromareaswherechildrenplayor
yougarden.
6. Washyourhandswithwarm,soapywaterafter
dealingwithpetwaste!
*PimaCountyCode:Yes,Itsthelaw.
NOTE:RelevantsectionsofthePimaCountyCodearenotedbelow:
7.29.030Responsibilityforstorageanddisposalofsolidwaste
A.Anypersongenerating,producing,storingortransportingoranypersonwhohasreceivedany
solidwasteshallberesponsiblefortheproperstorage,removal,transportanddisposalofthatsolid
waste.Solidwaste,whilebeingtransported,shallbecovered,tiedorotherwisesecuredsowastewill
notbeblownordroppedfromthetransportvehicle.
C.Inadditiontootherpersonswhomayberesponsiblepursuanttothissection,apersongenerating
solidwasteisresponsibleforthelawfulstorage,removal,transportanddisposalofthatsolidwaste
untilitislawfullydepositedinanapprovedsiteorcollectedbyapermittedcontractor.
7.45.020Environmentalnuisances.
Thedirectormaytakeactionunderthissectiontoabateenvironmentalnuisances. Asusedinthis
section,anenvironmentalnuisanceisthecreationormaintenanceofaconditioninthesoil,airor
waterthatcausesharmtothepublichealthortheenvironmentandthatisnototherwisesubjectto
regulationunderA.R.S.Title49. Subjecttothislimitation,thefollowingconditionsmayconstitute
environmentalnuisances:
Aconditionorplaceinpopulousareaswhichconstitutesabreedingplaceforflies,rodents,
mosquitoesandotherinsectswhicharecapableofcarryingandtransmittingdiseasecausing
organismstoanyperson.
Sewage,humanexcreta,wastewater,garbageorotherorganicwastesdeposited,stored,
dischargedorexposedsoastobeapotentialinstrumentormediuminthetransmissionof
diseasetoorbetweenanypersonorpersons.
PimaCountyDepartmentofEnvironmentalQuality
33 N. Stone, #700
Tucson,Arizona85701
520.724-7400fax:520.838.7432
www.deq.pima.gov
ThankyoutoUnitedStatesEnvironmentalProtectionAgencyandtheCityofDover,NewHampshireforassistancewiththisfactsheet.April,2006
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