So we know we have to scoop the poop, but what should we do with it then? And how can you perform the whole task in an environmentally friendly way? Muksak (love the name!) has some ideas:
Answering the call of nature with muksak at Paw-things
Paw-things, the specialists in all kinds of coats for dogs - weather-proof, shower-proof, hi-viz, even life jackets for the more adventurous dog – are also showcasing new products from muksak at Crufts this year. Responding to our growing awareness of the environmental impact of our choices, including the carbon pawprints our pets leave behind. Muksak has expanded its range of products available to help dog owners stay clean and green when they pick up after their pets, and a really exciting development will be on show at Crufts with Paw-things on Stand 102, Hall 1.
Muksak has promoted compostable bags made from corn starch for some time now, to partner the smell-proof ‘poo container’. As single use bags, compostable bags have the advantage of being made from renewable sources, but once in the bin they will still end up in landfill or incineration. Muksak will be featuring the Pet Poo Loo Wormery from the UK’s leading home composter and wormery manufacturer, Original Organics, so that dog owners can get the benefit of free compost and liquid fertiliser as well as a clear conscience.
Alison Vaughan, Muksak Ltd’s MD, comments “We are used to seeing the messages encouraging us to bring re-usable bags when we shop, and most people understand the damage caused by the single-use plastic bags made from petroleum-based sources. It can be frustrating for dog owners who have reduced their use of plastic shopping bags to find themselves going through many more plastic dog waste bags each week. Muksak is now offering an integrated solution, using muksak with compostable bags and the pet poo wormery”.
Muksak will also be offering the choice of flushable dog waste bags, so that dog waste bags can safely be disposed of in any standard toilet. They then go through the sewage system, designed exactly for that purpose, with all the environmental benefits from gained from diverting organic matter from landfill. Muksak is the perfect partner to calm any worries about carrying water soluble bags in our British weather conditions …..
With the muksak, dog owners can choose their own combination of disposal methods when picking up the poop. The whiffy waste bag, whether destined for flushing, composting or just the bin, can still be put straight into the easy-to-carry muksak with its special smell-proof seal. Equally, retailers can provide their own branded waste bags as part of the package. Alison says “Our aim is to provide a real choice of methods for environmentally conscientious dog owners to dispose of their dog waste, whether through compostable bags and garden wormeries, or the flushable bag. It shouldn’t be made difficult to be green!”
Muksak has a range of products to help caring dog owners when they are travelling with their pet, or just out for a walk, including colourful Dump It Onya pouches and ByoFresh hand wash & dog wipes with an anti-microbial technology that is fully biodegradable. All of these can all be seen at Crufts 2009, on the Paw-things stand in Hall 1, no.102 , along with the Paw-things range of products designed to make travel and adventure with your dog safer and easier, from hi-viz jackets for after dark or bad weather conditions, or colourful life jackets and buoyancy aids for the sea-faring hound to simple car seat covers and carry bags.
muksak FACTS …
- The muksak is a compact airtight container that makes it easier to act responsibly and removes the temptation to abandon your ‘poo’ bag, which is a visual eyesore that is littering our environment. Boasting an especially designed seal and click-lock that guarantees its contents will be smell and leak proof, muksak gives owners peace of mind until they can conveniently and hygienically dispose of the contents.
- Alison Vaughan invented the idea for muksak when working in the environmental and conservation sector after a career in hi-tech manufacturing. She now lives in Cornwall, where she is also director of the conservation charity the Gaia Trust, having led the nationally acclaimed waste reduction programme at the Eden Project, one of the country’s leading environmental organisations.
- Dog mess is rated as a ‘Top 10’ nuisance, topping the chart in a recent European survey, and consistently one of the highest sources of complaints by the public to MPs and local authorities. Councils receive around 250,000 complaints about dog fouling every year.
- The muksak was designed to make responsible dog ownership more convenient and tackle the nation-wide problems of dog fouling and littered dog waste bags.