Pup poop pilot project finally underway in HRM

Haligonians heading to the Mainland Common off-leash dog park will notice a new addition, a dedicated disposal bin for pup poop.

The green Sutera in-ground waste collector sits beside the fence dividing the designated area for smaller pets from the main park, making it easy to toss in fully doggy bags from both sides.

Previously people chucked them into garbage bins at the park's entrances.

It's all part of Halifax Regional Municipality's Pet Waste Recycling pilot project passed by council in 2019, the implementation of which was delayed by the pandemic.

“This pilot project will help determine if composting dog waste is a feasible option by providing a single-stream source of material,” said HRM spokesperson Ryan Nearing in an emailed statement to CityNews Halifax.

“It will facilitate collecting only dog waste so that it is easier for a compost facility to sort and process the waste.”

Currently, Haligonians are instructed to throw dog feces in the garbage.

When someone uses the Sutera bins, the dog poop bag drops down into a bin inside an underground concrete container, which cuts down on odours and potential pests.

A crane needs to be used to lift the bin out of the in-ground containment pit, but it's quite large and Nearing estimates it would only need to be emptied every 20 to 30 days.

Each bin costs around $4,000, and each collection clocks in at $150.

Right now the Mainland Commons Off-Leash Dog Park is the only spot in HRM with a Sutera bin, but a second one is being considered for Burnside when an off-leash dog park is added to Don Bayer Park next year.

HRM plans to collect feedback from park users on what they think of the new Sutera bins.