Trends

Pooponomics: The Economy of Human Waste

Written by Chelsea Dehner
Published Sep 2, 2010
1 min read
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Save more, spend smarter, and make your money go further

Few people think about if after flushing the toilet each morning, but the processing and disposal of human waste is actually a $100 billion business.

Beyond supporting entire industries, it can leave a hole in many people’s budgets, too. Consider this: on average, the parents of a newborn can expect to change 6,000 diapers during the first two years. During that time, they’ll spend about $1,600 on diapers, not to mention the added costs of wipes and diaper rash ointments. Meanwhile, the average American household spends nearly as much each year on having its septic system pumped and sending its waste into the sewers as they do on soft drinks (not that we’re implying any connection – beyond the place those soft drinks ultimately end up, of course).

In our latest infographic, we take a crack at the economy of sewage in America.

Shane Snow runs the online printing site, PrintingChoice, and draws infographics for the CreditLoan.com network.