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.

It all runs downhill...

There are occasionally bad sites,but it is better than years ago just because fewer people go I think.

I think 95% of the people do a excellent job,than there is the other 5%.

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.

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.

Well put, Ho Ho!

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

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...

We have found more tin foil in fire pits then TP all over the sites.

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.

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

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.

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?

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.

My new practice is to burn the toilet paper before burial. Wadded tp seems to have a long life... ashes are more quickly gone.

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

one study

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

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........

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............