Poop is probably the last thing on any businessperson’s mind when they make important decisions about their company. Yet, whether you’re a startup applying for funding, or a multinational company looking to expand into another country, poop is an important consideration.
The way businesses operate has a huge impact on the planet — and so too does the way we deal with our poop. Without properly considering what poop pollution is and how it can negatively affect the environment, businesses will fail in their green obligations. So, from how to avoid pollution disasters to vital commercial septic tank details, here’s what businesses need to know about poop pollution.
The History of Poop Pollution Is Long and Ongoing
Poop isn’t necessarily a bad thing; the issues occur when poop accumulates in one space. Since the history of human civilization is the history of people gathering in one space, every civilization since Indus River Valley has had to learn how to deal with its poop pollution.
Some of these solutions have been better than others, but things came to a head in the 19th Century when the Great Stink of London and other similar issues the world over led to the Sanitary Movement and the development of sewers.
As of 2017, most economically developed countries treat wastewater and then reintroduce it to the ecosystem so that it can be reused. However, for many less economically developed countries, this is not the case. The long history of wastewater treatment is still unfolding.
For businesses, knowing where we’ve come from and the importance of proper wastewater treatment should be a big factor in the way they choose to operate.
Businesses Need to Do More Than Just The Bare Minimum
Since a recent Glastonbury festival polluted a nearby river with human waste from its Portaloos, it’s become clear that even big businesses are capable of making grave mistakes. The spillage killed wildlife far downstream of the festival and no-one is even entirely sure how much sewage was leaked.
The Glastonbury Festival organisers did not do enough to prevent the incident. The issue was labelled a “freak occurrence”, but further preventive action will speak louder than words. The lesson to small business owners is that, if something like this can happen to a huge organisation like the Glastonbury Festival, it can happen to anyone.
From Commercial Septic Tanks to Water Conservation, Each Business Needs Its Own Solution
This is true for almost every green issue, and poop pollution is no different.
If your business is based in a rural area, you might not be connected to a public sewage system. The odds are more likely than you might think. 35% percent of Irish buildings and 25% of American ones are not connected to a main sewage system. For those businesses, some kind of commercial septic tank, such as a precast concrete septic tank, isn’t just important; it’s a legal requirement.
Your commercial septic tank needs to be fit for capacity. In this case, overestimating and overspending are the way forward here. Your business might only have 50 people now, but if you want to grow, you need a commercial septic tank which is going to allow you to do that. Cutting corners when it comes to dealing with your staff’s poop is not a risk any business wants to take — for very obvious reasons!
Even for businesses connected to a public sewer system, there are a few things you can do. If you want to help the water treatment systems which deal with your wastewater, be sure to avoid flushing things which should otherwise be binned or recycled. As one expert put it, the only thing you should flush is “toilet paper and what comes out of you.”
Beyond that, try to avoid creating more wastewater than is necessary. Water is recyclable, but doing so requires energy. Like everything else on our planet, water is a resource that needs to be respected.
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