A Fertile Idea for Zoo Recycling
San Diego Zoo officials hope to make money off something they get piles of for free--manure.
The zoo used to pay people to cart away the droppings of swamp wallabies, slender horned gazelles, rhinos and other beasts.
In the past year, it’s been giving the stuff to Best Soils of Chula Vista, which treats the dung and sells it as fertilizer. That saves the zoo $15,000 a year in landfill costs.
Now the zoo is considering selling the dung itself as pricey garden fertilizer with the help of Zoo Doo Compost Co. of Memphis, Tenn., said grounds manager Gabe Silva.
A 15-pound bag of Zoo Doo sells for $10, according to the company’s founder, Pierce Ledbetter. He said Zoo Doo has more soil nutrients than manure from cattle and horses.
“The market for Zoo Doo includes gardeners, animal lovers and just about anyone with a sense of humor,†Ledbetter said.
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