Are septic tanks environmentally friendly?

For many of us, ensuring we are as environmentally friendly as possible is an important part of our lives. From recycling to using electric vehicles, we try our hardest to make little changes. But if you are looking for a new or upgraded waste water system you might be wondering, are septic tanks environmentally friendly? 

Septic tanks might not be the first thing to come to mind when considering our impact on the environment. They do, however, have plenty of green credentials that we should consider. Here are a few. 

Chemical Free

Septic tanks use natural bacteria and micro-organisms to break down our waste. No chemicals are required for a septic tank to function. In fact, if chemicals are added either on purpose or accidentally like bleach, then it can significantly harm the septic tanks and create problems with how it functions. 

No energy

Septic tanks require no energy to work. They don’t need to be plugged in or have any source of power. As such, they are not a drain on the Earth’s resources. 

The added benefit of this is that they don’t need to be placed near an electrical outlet. This means you can choose the most environmentally-friendly location for yours. This could be somewhere that doesn’t get a lot of sunlight and so isn’t ideal for plants.

Built to last

So many products today are built with planned obsolescence in mind. This is when something is created with the mind that it will be of limited value in five or ten years time. The septic tanks we install, however, can be expected to last thirty or even forty years, given the correct maintenance. This is not only great for the environment as it avoids using landfills, but great in the long run for your pocket too. 

One and done

Once you install your septic tank, there will be no more digging required for a long time. This means you can use the land above for other purposes such as vegetable growing or pot plants. All you need to do is provide space for us to come and drain your tank regularly to keep it in tip-top shape. 

Green septic tanks

So whilst our septic tanks aren’t green in colour (although…what a good idea!) they are green in spirit. We only use concrete septic tanks as we believe they last longer than plastic alternatives. 

When plastic tanks have done their time and need renewed, you are left with a lot of plastic waste that can only go to landfill where it will sit for many hundreds of years. However, when you use a concrete tank, this can be demolished and recycled or left to weather down in a fraction of the time that plastic would. 

Speak to us about septic tank installation

So, are septic tanks environmentally friendly? We believe the answer is yes! Septic tanks have a lot of green credentials, and they make sense when you live somewhere not connected to the mains water supply. If you’d like to find out more about having one installed at your property, just give us a call and we can discuss what to do next.