EARLY CLOSURE
The zoo will close early at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 28, 2024, for the Thanksgiving holiday.

ZOO DOO COMPOST

The most "poopular" compost in the Pacific Northwest

How It's Made

 

 

The Process Begins

The process begins when fresh manure and bedding materials are collected from animal habitats. Next, the materials are taken to the Zoo Doo yard for composting. We use an Aerated Static Pile System to do the composting.

 

 

Active Composting

This phase lasts 21 days and the piles maintain temperatures between 135°F and 165°F for over two weeks, which allows for optimal decomposition of organic materials as well as destroying weed seeds and potential pathogens.

 

 

Aerated Secondary Composting

Active composting is followed by aerated secondary composting for 21 more days. During this phase, temperatures in the pile decrease, and the decomposition slows down as the microbes finish breaking down the organic materials and mineralize plant-essential nutrients.

 

 

The Curing Process

After secondary composting, our piles are left to cure for another 60-90 days. After this whole process, the material looks and smells like rich organic soil or mulch, bearing little resemblance to its original components.

 

 

Ready to Use

Now it’s ready for use in home gardens!

Zoo Doo is safe to use right away on edible or ornamental plants.

Zoo Doo Gratitood

 

A BIG thank you to Waste Management!

Waste Management provides sustainability services for Woodland Park Zoo and is a proud supporter of the Zoo Doo Compost program. Waste Management’s donation of easy-roll carts takes the heavy lifting out of Zoo Doo, making it easier and safer for Zoo employees to compost on site. Woodland Park Zoo and Waste Management are committed to bringing nutrient-rich compost to gardens across Seattle in an effort to reduce the waste being disposed at landfills.

Read more about Waste Management’s commitment to a sustainable tomorrow in the 2023 Waste Management Sustainability Report.

 

Questions

Please reach out to our Sustainable Waste Specialist (Dr. Doo) for any other questions about Zoo Doo! Call 206-625-POOP

Our Mission

Woodland Park Zoo saves wildlife and inspires everyone to make conservation a priority in their lives.

Land Acknowledgment

Woodland Park Zoo recognizes that these are the lands of the Tribal signatories of the Treaty of Point Elliott. We acknowledge their stewardship of this place continues to this day and that it is our responsibility to join them to restore the relationship with the living world around us.


5500 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98103   |  206.548.2500  |   zooinfo@zoo.org


Association of Zoos & Aquariums
Seattle Parks & Recreation
Humane Certification