The Flushable Bag

The Flushable Bag (4 biscuits)

Our take: Created in a city where it's illegal to put pet waste in curbside trash, these bags are water-soluble. They're made of polyvinyl alcohol, the meltable film that's used for collecting and washing hospital laundry and instruments.

Here's how it works: Instead of tying the bag, you roll it up and let it sit in the toilet water for one full minute to start dissolving, and then flush. At the end of the sewer line, the dog poop goes into wastewater treatment where parasites, bacteria, and nitrogen are metabolized. Environmentally speaking, this is the best way to get rid of your dog's poop.

As I learned the hard way, however, these aren't the bags to use when it's raining. (When they say water soluble, they mean water soluble).

One word of warning: If you have old or feisty plumbing, don't put in too much at once, and be careful not to flush too soon.

Cost: high

--Phyllis DeGioia

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