Innovative Solution in Sydnärke: Dog Waste Disposal Made Easy

In Sydnärke, a new solution is being tested to tackle the issue of dog waste littering. Residents who wish to participate can place a welcoming sticker on their trash bins, allowing others to dispose of dog waste there.

"It's a great idea," says Ola Mårtensson from Fjugesta, whose dog Mira is featured on the new sticker.

It's often confusing to know where to dispose of a dog waste bag after picking it up. Now, homeowners in southern Närke can place a sticker on their trash bins if they are okay with dog waste being thrown there.

"Place the decal on the front of your trash bin so it can be seen from a distance," writes the Sydnärke municipal association, which is behind the sticker initiative.

Starting today, the so-called dog waste bag decal can be picked up at recycling centers in Askersund, Laxå, Lekeberg, and Hallsberg, as reported by Nerikes Allehanda.

One person planning to pick up a decal is Ola Mårtensson, who lives in Fjugesta.

"I think it's a good thing. When you're out with the dog and pick up the waste, you need somewhere to dispose of it, otherwise, you have to take it home. If people have put up a sign saying it's okay, you can leave it there without feeling embarrassed," he says.

Besides thinking it's a good solution to an everyday problem, he has another reason to put up the sticker. His dog, the Shiba Inu Mira, is the model for the dog on the sticker. This was decided after a Facebook competition where residents of the municipality could submit pictures of their dogs.

"It was fun to win something. I received lots of congratulations from people I know," he says.

In the comments section under the municipal association's post about the decals on Facebook, several people expressed concern that the bins might smell bad if many people dispose of their dog waste there.

A criticism Ola Mårtensson dismisses.

"What doesn't smell if you put a bag of shrimp shells in the trash bin?" he says.

He believes the initiative will lead to fewer waste bags being left in nature.

"If there's nowhere to dispose of it, the waste is left on the street, or the bags are thrown into the forest, as I've seen," says Ola Mårtensson.