Millions of American pets generate vast amounts of waste each year that ends up in landfills. Clay cat litter, dog waste bags, and pet food packaging contribute significantly to this problem. The issue spans mining, pollution, and limited recycling options.
About 94 million U.S. households own pets, including roughly 68 million dogs and 49 million cats. These animals produce billions of pounds of waste annually, much of it non-biodegradable. Clay cat litter alone accounts for an estimated two million tons buried in landfills each year, with five billion pounds of clay mined for this purpose in the U.S. annually.