![]() Instead of scooping clumps out, you only need to scoop out the poop. Using this type of litter is probably different from what you’re used to. Alternatives such as wood pellet litter are better due to their ability to break down easily and be composted. The bottom line is silica gel litter is better than clay, but not the most environmentally friendly option if that is what you’re looking for. It also does not biodegrade very quickly or easily. However, silica litters are mined from quartz sand and the process is still environmentally destructive, although not as bad as strip mining for clay. It’s arguable that crystal litters are a better option because people are using less of it, and dumping it out less frequently – therefore, less of it ends up in landfills. Silica litters are advertised as being a better, more sustainable option. Are silica crystal litters a good environmentally friendly alternative?Ĭlay litter is by and large the most popular pick among consumers, but it’s pretty bad for the environment. Even if you have no respiratory issues, the dust is annoying to inhale. This is great for people or pets with asthma or allergies, as clay litters are notorious for being extremely dusty. Is it dust-free?Ĭrystal cat litters are advertised as being virtually (99%) free of dust.īecause the particles in these litters are typically larger, there’s very little dust that’s produced while handling and neither you nor your cat will really be able to inhale it. What can make this even more confusing is that silica gel litters are often referred to as “crystal litter” which if you were to just look up and see those packets are made of crystalline silica, you would think they were the same. Unlike crystalline silica, amorphous silica gel is not classified as a carcinogen, and it’s non-toxic. Silica cat litter is made from amorphous silica gel, not the crystalline that’s used in those packets. This is NOT the same as crystalline silica gel that’s found in those little preservative packets (you know, the ones that say THROW OUT, DO NOT EAT). In general, the clumping silica litters don’t work as well as non-clumping versions. Typically crystal (silica) cat litters are non-clumping litters, but certain varieties have additives that give them the ability to clump. This type of litter is able to be used for quite a while (up to a month) before needing to be dumped out since after the silica gel crystals get filled with moisture, absorb smells, and evaporate, they’re able to continually repeat that process.įresh Step Crystals or the famous health monitoring Pretty Litter are examples of litter made out of this material. They do not clump like most other litters, instead, the moisture is able to evaporate, while odor stays trapped within the crystals. These crystal pieces trap in any liquid they come in contact with into tiny, hollow channels within themselves.
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