Almost one in three Swiss households has a cat. That's a lot of cat litter to dispose of. Cat litter can be either organic (e.g. plant fibres) or mineral (e.g. silica). All types of cat litter should be incinerated after use, as they may contain pathogens or traces of any medication the cat is on. Organic cat litter is preferable to other types of litter because when it is incinerated, it produces energy and leaves little residue.
Environmental impact
The environmental impact varies depending on the type of cat litter. In the waste incineration plant, organic litter is incinerated almost completely, while mineral litter leaves a residual slag that does not burn. This slag ends up in a landfill. Organic litter therefore has two advantages: when incinerated, it produces useable energy and hardly any residue for landfill. From a waste disposal perspective, organic cat litter is the better choice.
Disposal
Cat faeces and urine – and anything that has come into contact with either, such as cat litter – can contain pathogens and traces of any medication the cat is taking. The Environmental Protection Act states that "early preventive measures must be taken in order to limit effects which could become harmful or a nuisance" (SR 814.01, EPA, Art. 1, para. 2). In the case of cat litter, this means preventing the release of dangerous substances into the environment. The best way to do this is to incinerate used cat litter along with household waste.
Putting used cat litter in the green waste bin (for composting or anaerobic digestion) is therefore not appropriate. Faeces from carnivorous animals such as cats are listed as unsuitable in the List of waste suitable for composting or anaerobic digestion in the Biodegradable Waste enforcement aid document (in German). Disposal via the wastewater system – in other words, flushing it down the toilet – is prohibited in Switzerland (SR 814.201, Waters Protection Ordinance WPO, Art. 10). To sum up: the only way to properly dispose of used cat litter is by incineration at a waste incineration plant.
Last modification 10.10.2024
