Disposing of poop (feces, human waste)

[jsf80238]

(Parenthetical added to assist search engine.)

I backpack in different areas, some heavily used, some rarely used.

If heavily used I bring something like https://www.nrs.com/cleanwaste-wag-bags/pvf9 or http://www.biffybag.com/how-it-works.htm and carry it out.
If rarely used I dig a hole.

My question regards areas which are moderately used. I'm inclined to dig a hole and treat with something like https://relianceoutdoors.com/products/b ... e-gelation, thinking the powder will speed decomposition. But if that powder does not speed decomposition, and only masks the smell, then it's less useful in my opinion.

[XterraRob]

Depending on how remote the area is, and how trafficked. I always pack out toilet paper/wipes, but not always my poo. It's my way of giving back to nature.

[derekpetrie]

I always pack everything out, try to practice LNT all the time. Sure, lots of things poop in the woods. But humans and pets aren’t part of the local biome, and there are lots more of us in the wilderness every year.

[justiner]

One thing you can try to do is sprinkle your hole with some rich, healthy, biologically active dirt, which will give the area a fighting chance to work its magic and decompose. A little water wouldn't hurt, either. Then finish burying everything - but don't compress down the dirt covering of your hole - allow air/water to circulate.

Colorado soil, based on its geology, can vary wildly. Locally, the hills here are made out of a granodiorite that erodes into sharp sand, which makes poor soil for anything to grow unless you're in a deep canyon where decomposed plant matter can find itself down into and collect. That could be a good place to leave your mark, provided you're not near a creak.

Up high - even in tundra: forget it. The best you can hope for is that it all dries out and eventually blows away, not sure if tundra can support that amount of s**t. If you do look around an area of tundra that has mamrots and pikas active, it's already covered in it.

[GuiGirard]

(Parenthetical added to assist search engine.)

My question regards areas which are moderately used. I'm inclined to dig a hole and treat with something like https://relianceoutdoors.com/products/b ... e-gelation, thinking the powder will speed decomposition. But if that powder does not speed decomposition, and only masks the smell, then it's less useful in my opinion.

Is the powder more biodegradable than the poop itself? Because otherwise, it defeats your good intention.

[jsf80238]

(Parenthetical added to assist search engine.)

My question regards areas which are moderately used. I'm inclined to dig a hole and treat with something like https://relianceoutdoors.com/products/b ... e-gelation, thinking the powder will speed decomposition. But if that powder does not speed decomposition, and only masks the smell, then it's less useful in my opinion.

Is the powder more biodegradable than the poop itself? Because otherwise, it defeats your good intention.

Exactly. That's what I'm trying to figure out. The product literature does not say.

[colingoodman]

(Parenthetical added to assist search engine.)

My question regards areas which are moderately used. I'm inclined to dig a hole and treat with something like https://relianceoutdoors.com/products/b ... e-gelation, thinking the powder will speed decomposition. But if that powder does not speed decomposition, and only masks the smell, then it's less useful in my opinion.

Is the powder more biodegradable than the poop itself? Because otherwise, it defeats your good intention.

Exactly. That's what I'm trying to figure out. The product literature does not say.

The product page you linked says its for use in “portable toilets,” and the packaging displayed has an explicit warning against ingesting the powder. Doesn’t sound at all like it’s meant to be left outside, rather it’s probably more like cat litter and meant to make transporting waste easier.