Pet Waste Stations Terminology
In my last article, I talked about the correct terminology to use for the different styles of dog poop bags. This article will be geared towards the correct pet waste stations terminology. You can probably guess what term I like to use. Some folks like to say dog poop bag dispensers or doggy stations. And that’s OK, they all mean the same thing. However, what types of stations are best and how do I know what kind I need. Let’s find out, shall we?
Standard Pet Waste Stations
Just like the name says, these are the industry standards when it comes to pet waste stations, or dog poop bag dispensers. Typically, these types of stations will contain 2 or 3 rolls of dog poop bags. There’s your first clue as to what they are. They hold the “rolls” of bags, like plastic toilet paper, on a roll. This type of pet station is the most common because they are the most cost effective. Let’s face it, all we want to do is pick up poop. As long as the bags don’t break in mid scoop, we’re a happy camper. We’re not using dog waste bags to store food in our refrigerators, so we don’t need expensive bags to pick up poop.
What kind of rolled bags? Well, that’s entirely up to you and your budget. Most rolled bags cost somewhere between 2.2¢ to 4.1¢ each. Of course, that doesn’t seem like a whole lot, but if you go through tens of thousands of bags in your HOA community, that can add up pretty fast. So, what’s the difference between the low cost bags and the higher cost bags? Glad you asked. The major cost differences are due to the thickness of the bags, the manufacturing process, and location. We all know that most products are made in countries other than the United States. That has a lot to do with the landing price of bags. That’s life in the business world.
The Make Up of Dog Poop Bags
Let’s talk about the thickness of the bags. Dog poop bags can range anywhere from 10 microns to 18 microns in thickness. What’s a micron? I’m not sure. What I do know is that the more microns you have, the thicker the bag. I’ve physically felt an 18 micron bag and a 10 micron bag, and there is a difference. Ever so slightly. Psychologically, I would rather use a thicker bag, just knowing that it’s thicker, because that’s what the manufacturer said. It takes special devices to measure something that thin.
There’s one more thing to share regarding bags – how they’re constructed! Most people wouldn’t know the difference, but if you’re not careful, you soon will. Are the bags you use sealed on the side edges or the bottom? Let me explain. Most bags are made out of a long tube of plastic. This tube is then sealed at regular intervals and perforated for easy tear off. This makes the seal at the bottom of the bag and this is ideal.
Other, cheaper bags are made a little different. Imagine two long narrow sheets of plastic, one on top of the other. These are then sealed on the sides and along the bottom at regular intervals, thus forming the bag. These types of bags tend to break… while picking up dog poop. Yech! I should have put this information in the dog poop bag blog. Let’s get back to pet waste stations.
Flat Pack Pet Station
This may be the second most popular pet station used in HOA communities today. Instead of a roll of bags, these come in the form of a card. Sometimes referred to as a header pack. Each card has 100 bags that you tear off as needed. Kind of like 100 separate bags attached at the top and you simply tear one off.
Flat Pack Dispenser
Some of the fancier flat pack bags have a plastic strap across the front to make it easier to grab a single bag. These are referred to as One Pul or Singl Pul bags, trademarked by ZeroWaste USA. That’s why the spelling is off on the word pull.
The flat pack dispensers have only one opening in the front, but they can hold 4 or more cards of 100 bags each. Because of this, it makes it easier to grab and extract one bag at a time. And, because of that, there tends to be less bag waste. I know, people can always grab several bags for later use, but at least they won’t grab a bag off a roll and run with it. I’ve only seen that once in 35 years in the business. Someone unrolled what seemed like half the roll and left it hanging out of the dispenser.
Tissue Stye Dispenser
Tissue Style Pet Station
As far as I can tell, there is only one company that makes this type of dog poop bag dispenser. That would be Doggie Walk Bags based in California. Their unique design allows the bags to be dispensed one at a time like a tissue box. Pull one out and another pops out, ready for the next person to grab one.
The dispenser itself is made of high quality plastic that won’t rust, is weatherproof, and graffiti resistant. Whatever that means. I guess paint won’t stick to it? Whatever the case, they come in a wide variety of colors, like blue, red, yellow, green, black and a few others. Enough colors to match the décor of any community.
Wait, There’s More
Installing a pet waste station for your apartment or HOA community doesn’t stop at the type of dispenser. There’s also the type of trash can to consider. You could simply use a large 32 gallon trash can by Rubbermaid and chain it to your pet station. However, this is not always practical because it may get used for everything else, but dog poop bags. Thankfully, most pet waste stations are designed to come with their own trash can for disposal of the pet waste. Did you know that there are several different designs of trash cans for pet stations? Well, keep reading and you will.
The most common trash can is a round steel or aluminum mesh trash can with a lid. They hold a 13 gallon bag and serves the purpose of most communities that are tackling pet waste problems. The only drawback to these types of cans is that anyone can put anything in these trash cans. Including, wait for it, trash! Not necessarily a bad thing, but one folded up pizza box can take up all the space, not leaving any room for its intended purpose of pet waste. Unfortunately, with this type of trash can, we have encountered lawn clipping, tree branches stuffed in them, and the worst, cat litter. When the bag gets full of cat litter, it will tend to break the bag since it’s so heavy. One time we even encountered a can that was full of trophies! Must have been participation trophies and the kids didn’t want them. Good for them.
The close cousin to the round mesh trash can is the square, solid steel/aluminum trash can. These also hold a 13 gallon bag with a lid. The only difference, besides the shape, is that you can’t see through it. Unless you’re Superman with x-ray vision. This makes it a little more appealing to the community and just has a cleaner overall look to it. The only possible drawback to these is the wide, flat areas that people tend to slap on stickers or decals. Doesn’t happen often, but it does happen.
Chute Style Trash Can
A really good alternative to both of the above mentioned trash cans is the locking chute stye of pet waste station. These are kind of cool. They still hold a 13 gallon bag with a lid. However, these lids are locked with a special key and are completely sealed. Almost. On the top is a handle to a small door that you can open up and place the full dog poop bag inside a small compartment. When you close the door, the bag slides down a chute and into the trash bag. Pretty nifty. This prevents larger trash items from being placed in the can. The downside to these, is the price. They cost almost twice as much as the standard mesh trash can. The cost can be made up with less maintenance time, eventually.
Closing Thoughts
I just described the most common types of dog poop bag dispensers and the correct terms used when referring to them. There are many different brands of pet stations and styles of dispensers on the market. And, there are a few custom style trash cans and dispensers. I just mentioned the most common ones in use today. You can get stations with different looks for different areas, like a wooden slot trash can used on hiking trails that match the surrounding wooded areas.
Dogipot Pet Valet
One other style of dispenser worth mentioning is the valet station by Dogipot. It is a fully self-contained unit that dispenses rolled bags, and has a built-in trash can with a small opening on the side so it limits the size of trash that can be inserted into it. Much like the one pictured here. They also come in a tan or green color and will make any community look nice.
There are many colors, types and styles to choose from. You can get them with or without the trash can. Some brands give you an option of having a colorful picture on the dispenser. Most of them come with a sign reminding dog owners to pick up after their dogs. Some will even provide custom wording on their signs to fit your association’s needs. For instance, it can mention a fine if you don’t pick up, or a special thank you message for picking up your dog’s poop.
My hope is that this information is useful for helping you decide on the best approach to attacking your pet waste problems. As always, Scoop Masters is here to help. We will consult with you on how many stations you may need, their style, locations, and we can even install them for you. In our current service areas of course. Just give us a call or shoot us an email and we’ll respond the same day, if not the same hour.
Happy Scooping!