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Quetico Forum

Campsite Sanitation

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Date/Time: 05/06/2024 07:30AM

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Campsite Sanitation

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Previous Messages:
Author	Message Text
GeoFisher	06/05/2017 10:02PM quote timatkn: "quote Pinetree: " one study " Yea that's the study I quoted and linked to at the beginning of this thread, buried TP (charmin 2 ply)took about 6 weeks to fully decompose in the study. T" 6 weeks is quite acceptable............
GeoFisher	06/05/2017 09:59PM quote Pinetree: " one study " I will be glad to send you locations for my crap piles.......I know where everyone is located. Seriously, I crapped in the same spot on the same campsites multiple times, on multiple different years, and Never ONCE have I dug up a shit pile or toilet paper. Hell, I'm almost ready to do my own scientific study in my back yard, dumping, burying and digging up a shit pile just to see........
timatkn	06/05/2017 09:14PM quote Pinetree: " one study " Yea that's the study I quoted and linked to at the beginning of this thread, buried TP (charmin 2 ply)took about 6 weeks to fully decompose in the study. T
Pinetree	06/05/2017 04:28PM one study
GeoFisher	06/05/2017 12:48PM quote Pinetree: "quote OldFingers57: "quote Pinetree: "quote OldFingers57: "We have found more tin foil in fire pits then TP all over the sites. " It is very rare to find toilet paper,but it happens. Also on the market there is toilet paper used for cesspools. It breaks down almost immediatly(sp) when it gets wet. So maybe check out different toilet paper as far as biodegradable. Yes tin foil is quite common." The TP for septic systems or that is advertised as biodegradable needs to be in a liquid environment like a septic tank. A cat hole in the woods doesn't provide enough water and allows it to dry out between rains. Backpacker magazine did a study of TP and waste in catholes over a year. They found very little of the human waste or TP degraded in a years time. There was not much of a difference between the biodegradable and regular cheap thin TP. " Very interesting. Wonder what kind of environment it was done in. Amount of rain-temperatures?" My very UNSCIENTIFIC findings...... I visited the exact same campsite I did 18 months ago. I dug cat holes in the exact same place I did 18 months ago. PERFECT THRONE space....... I found exactly ZERO evidence that I had dumped my crap in that place 18 months ago. No Poo, No paper, no nothing...... I find it quite amusing ............. Later, Geo
bobbernumber3	06/05/2017 08:01AM My new practice is to burn the toilet paper before burial. Wadded tp seems to have a long life... ashes are more quickly gone.
OldFingers57	06/03/2017 06:09PM quote Pinetree: "quote OldFingers57: "quote Pinetree: "quote OldFingers57: "We have found more tin foil in fire pits then TP all over the sites. " It is very rare to find toilet paper,but it happens. Also on the market there is toilet paper used for cesspools. It breaks down almost immediatly(sp) when it gets wet. So maybe check out different toilet paper as far as biodegradable. Yes tin foil is quite common." The TP for septic systems or that is advertised as biodegradable needs to be in a liquid environment like a septic tank. A cat hole in the woods doesn't provide enough water and allows it to dry out between rains. Backpacker magazine did a study of TP and waste in catholes over a year. They found very little of the human waste or TP degraded in a years time. There was not much of a difference between the biodegradable and regular cheap thin TP. " Very interesting. Wonder what kind of environment it was done in. Amount of rain-temperatures?" It was done in a woods type of environment, unknown what type of trees but I imagine hardwoods and was done in normal temps for a whole year. They dug up different cat holes at different amounts of time. For instance like 1 month, 3 months, 6 months etc. to check on how the waste and type of TP were breaking down.
Pinetree	06/03/2017 02:30PM quote OldFingers57: "quote Pinetree: "quote OldFingers57: "We have found more tin foil in fire pits then TP all over the sites. " It is very rare to find toilet paper,but it happens. Also on the market there is toilet paper used for cesspools. It breaks down almost immediatly(sp) when it gets wet. So maybe check out different toilet paper as far as biodegradable. Yes tin foil is quite common." The TP for septic systems or that is advertised as biodegradable needs to be in a liquid environment like a septic tank. A cat hole in the woods doesn't provide enough water and allows it to dry out between rains. Backpacker magazine did a study of TP and waste in catholes over a year. They found very little of the human waste or TP degraded in a years time. There was not much of a difference between the biodegradable and regular cheap thin TP. " Very interesting. Wonder what kind of environment it was done in. Amount of rain-temperatures?
OldFingers57	06/03/2017 01:21PM quote Pinetree: "quote OldFingers57: "We have found more tin foil in fire pits then TP all over the sites. " It is very rare to find toilet paper,but it happens. Also on the market there is toilet paper used for cesspools. It breaks down almost immediatly(sp) when it gets wet. So maybe check out different toilet paper as far as biodegradable. Yes tin foil is quite common." The TP for septic systems or that is advertised as biodegradable needs to be in a liquid environment like a septic tank. A cat hole in the woods doesn't provide enough water and allows it to dry out between rains. Backpacker magazine did a study of TP and waste in catholes over a year. They found very little of the human waste or TP degraded in a years time. There was not much of a difference between the biodegradable and regular cheap thin TP.
timatkn	06/02/2017 07:47PM quote schweady: "quote timatkn: "There are occasionally bad sites,but it is better than years ago just because fewer people go I think." Huh. Back when I was a very young child, my mother taught me that it was important to go every day... " Touché Very funny...and true
Pinetree	06/02/2017 06:32PM quote OldFingers57: "We have found more tin foil in fire pits then TP all over the sites. " It is very rare to find toilet paper,but it happens. Also on the market there is toilet paper used for cesspools. It breaks down almost immediatly(sp) when it gets wet. So maybe check out different toilet paper as far as biodegradable. Yes tin foil is quite common.
OldFingers57	06/02/2017 06:19PM We have found more tin foil in fire pits then TP all over the sites.
schweady	06/02/2017 12:54PM quote timatkn: "There are occasionally bad sites,but it is better than years ago just because fewer people go I think." Huh. Back when I was a very young child, my mother taught me that it was important to go every day...
timatkn	06/02/2017 12:29PM quote Ho Ho: "...but the TP is forever, and animals dig it up. " Don't disagree on disposal, but TP doesn't last forever. It biodegrades completely in most studies in 1-5 months depending on weather conditions. Faster if it is raining a lot and buried. TP
AdamXChicago	06/01/2017 11:04PM Well put, Ho Ho!
Ho Ho	06/01/2017 09:46PM I think it is generally improving all the time, both because there are fewer people, but also, and more importantly, because I think the people who are going are mostly heeding the requirement mentioned by Banksiana to deal with their TP by burning or carrying out. We carry ours out, which turns out to be NO BIG DEAL (it goes in the trash bags that are sealed anyway), while I know Banksiana likes to burn. Either works. Makes a huge difference. The buried shit will biodegrade, but the TP is forever, and animals dig it up. That said, every once in a while you find a site where people have been jerks. Alas, the deficiencies of some members of the human race cannot be escaped no matter where you go.
Banksiana	06/01/2017 07:59PM Park policy is to burn or pack out your toilet paper. Waste is "left" in cat hole six inches deep at least sixty yards from water or campsite. The ranger will go through it with you when you pick up your permit.
Pinetree	06/01/2017 06:09PM I think 95% of the people do a excellent job,than there is the other 5%.
timatkn	06/01/2017 04:45PM There are occasionally bad sites,but it is better than years ago just because fewer people go I think.
old_salt	06/01/2017 04:10PM It all runs downhill...
ObiWenonahKenobi	06/01/2017 03:03PM It's been years since I've been to Quetico. What is the campsite sanitation issue like these days? Are people practicing "cat sanitation"? Or is toilet paper strewn all over the ground out behind the camping areas? I suppose this will depend on the site and how far from entry points they are.