The matter in summary: 600 poo bags were distributed in Lofoten this summer The result is a halving of the amount of human excrement in the area The trial was a success, but there are costs and resources associated with it Other tourist attractions are hesitant to introduce poo bags The summary is made by a KI – service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. If you have to, then you have to, also in forest and fields. In the middle of the busiest tourist season this summer, Lofoten was the first in Norway to test poo bags for humans. The background for the trial project is that many visitors to Lofotodden National Park defecate in nature, near streams where people fill their water bottles. The Norwegian Institute of Natural Sciences (NINA) took water samples in a stream at Kvalvika in Lofotodden National Park and found high levels of E. coli. – People said that they had become ill after drinking water from the streams, said NINA researcher Rose Keller. She moved from the USA to Norway three years ago. Keller took the idea of the poo bags with her from her home country, where she was researching visitor management in Denali National Park in Alaska. Although E. coli forms an important part of the normal flora in the colon in humans and animals, people can become ill from ingesting it via food and drink. In other words, taking a sip from a water bottle filled from a stream in a tourist area can cause diarrhea and abdominal pain, and serious illness. 600 bags torn away In July, a sign, a rack of bags and a waste container went up at Torsfjorden and at Innersand, at the approach gates and the start of the trail to Kvalvika. From the beginning of July, almost 600 poo bags have been distributed in the area. The national park manager, Ole-Jakob Kvalshaug, says the attempt was a success. – The vast majority are concerned with the issue and are predominantly positive about the bags. But people are different. Some believe that toilet waste is a natural product and that you should be able to dispose of it wherever you want. – The researchers from NINA have also examined nature after the test period. Their feedback is that there was clearly less toilet waste in the test area after the poo bags were put into use, says Ole-Jakob Kvalshaug. The Swedish tourists Sofie Lagerström and Frida Östlin Dahlgren from Sweden are visiting Lofoten for the first time now on the eve of summer. Although all the poo bags have been handed out for this time, the two 20-year-olds could easily dispose of them in a bag when they are on a trip. – It is extremely important that there are facilities which ensure that nature is not damaged. I could certainly use a bag like that, they say. Tourists Sofie Lagerström and Frida Östlin Dahlgren in Sweden think poo bags for people are a bad idea. Photo: Andreas Nilsen Trygstad / news The experiences from Lofoten will now be used to see if this can be one of the solutions to prevent pollution and soiling of nature. Halving toilet waste According to NINA researcher Rose Keller, the bags have led to around a halving of the amount of human faeces in the area where they were distributed. But according to the national park manager, Ole-Jakob Kvalshaug, more toilets must still be built where people park their cars. – The poo bags do not solve all problems. It is primarily a supplement, to be used where there are no toilets. The bags also have a cost. We also see that it can be resource-intensive to follow up the scheme. Dritlei “Bæsjeggen” The popular Besseggen went by the foul-smelling nickname Bæsjeggen for many years. But that was a long time ago, according to Mai Bakken, who is the general manager of the Norwegian Mountain Center and Climate Park. Besseggen has been a popular destination for several decades, and annually has around 60,000 visitors. With a total ascent of 1,100 meters and almost 14 kilometers, it is a demanding trip that many spend eight to ten hours on. Photo: Hallvard Østrem / NPK – Today, patrols who are out several times a week ensure that it is kept clean and tidy. They have a gas burner with them and burn up whatever rubbish and traces of dobe searches they find. Bakken says that the patrols have led to people not going to the toilet in nature in the same way as before. Human excrement was also a problem at Galdhøpiggen. There, the problem was solved by increasing the toilet capacity at Juvasshytta and building a toilet on Galdhøpiggen itself. Still, Bakken thinks poo bags for humans are a good idea. – Everyone should clean up after themselves in nature and take all rubbish back. National park manager Mari Melbø Rødstøl i Reinheimen national park board has not considered handing out poo bags to tourists. – It’s a great measure, but so far we haven’t had that pressure on our paths. We have had problems at Slettvikan. But we have installed toilets there, says Rødstøl. Would you use the poo bag? Yes No Maybe Show result Information boards at Preikestolen The Pulpit is also a favorite tourist destination in the summer season. They have also struggled with some tourists ruining the idyll by messing around in the bushes on the way up. On sunny days it could stink of faeces. Close to 300,000 tourists make the trip up to Preikestolen in Forsand in Rogaland every year. Photo: news Helge Kjellevold of the Pulpit Foundation says that the problem was properly addressed. – We have discussed such bags, but we did not want to do it. We chose to expand the toilet capacity. In addition, we have started informing on digital screens that there are no toilets until you are back downstairs. It has worked. Tourists with mountain shoes are about to destroy a unique tourist gem – now tourists are asked to walk barefoot Hundeposer at Trolltunga Åse Marie Evjen is general manager of Trolltunga AS. She says that there are no public toilets along the paths in the mountains. Last year, more than 80,000 people visited Trolltunga. Photo: news-TIPSAR Here, hikers are asked to visit the toilet far away from streams and water. And take used toilet paper with you and throw it in the bins in the car park. – We have set up stands with dog bags, so that walkers have something to use toilet paper in. With 82,500 visitors last year, it is certainly something we want to look at. Photo: Benjamin Fredriksen / news
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Poo bags a success in Lofoten – news Nordland
