The nitrates and phosphates that come from urine can actually increase algae growth that can suffocate and kill coral. But one person peeing can't actually do this level of damage. It requires the waste of many people being dumped into the ocean over long periods of time.
Additionally, urine and seawater both contain high levels of potassium. If you're worried that dumping our primary urine waste product, urea, into the ocean feels like pollution – don't! There's simply too much water for the urea to accumulate to noticeable levels.
When it comes to swimming in lakes or beaches, avoid those with high bacterial levels. It should also be noted that it is less safe to pee in the still water of a lake than the moving waves of the ocean. Lower your chances of getting a UTI by changing out of wet bathing suits as soon as possible.
Cyanogen chloride forms when chlorine from the pool reacts with nitrogen in urine. It acts like tear gas, roughing up the eyes, nose and lungs, and it's classified as an agent of chemical warfare. Predictably, the study quickly resulted in headlines like “Why peeing in the pool is chemical warfare.”
Stephen Herrero's book Bear Attacks: Their Causes and Avoidance, considered the definitive work by many authorities, says “human excrement/urine attracts bears and should not be near your campsite.” The National Park Service promotes that belief as well, adding that the salt in urine attracts wild animals (including ...
No reaction. From a scientific standpoint, Esbaugh says that it's “definitely not true” that sharks are attracted to urine, and he assumes the rumor got started because many animals use scent to track their prey. But he says this doesn't hold up because humans aren't the most common meal for sharks.
Cat, dog, or human hair or urine sprinkled in a garden also appears to have no impact on rats. Beware of anyone claiming they have a secret weapon or chemical that will get rid of rats. There is none.
Urine, a salty water solution containing low levels of urea (a waste product left after our bodies process protein), is greatly diluted in the already salty ocean. Swimmer urine makes a much more significant contribution in a pool, especially a crowded one.
There is currently no such urine indicator dye that exists. "Chlorine and other disinfectants are added to a swimming pool to destroy germs. Peeing in a pool depletes chlorine and actually produces an irritant that makes people's eyes turn red," said Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC's Healthy Swimming Program.
Pool chemicals kill most germs within minutes, but some live for days. Chemicals also break down pee, poop, sweat, dirt, and other gunk from swimmers' bodies.
The NOAA estimates the oceans at 321,003,271 cubic miles or 1.338e21 L (1.3 sextillion). Dividing those out and you get 0.0002%, or 1 in 500,000 parts Human pee.
As you submerge in water, hydrostatic pressure drives up your blood pressure a bit, enough to trigger your kidneys to respond by stepping up their filtration game and increase urine output.
Tourists facing stricter rules in Spain
The clampdown on public urination in Vigo marks just one of several strict rules being enforced in Spain. At all Spanish beach showers, it is illegal to wash with soap and shampoo because the products are harmful to marine life.
Most of the offences, which are considered of a "minor nature" and carry fines of 100 euros, include urinating and spitting on public streets, littering, and the discharge of water from air conditioning units or the watering of plants.
Plastic, as always, tops the list, with fishing gear, cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic bottles, bottle caps, and plastic bags being the highest contributors. Just like plastic, the other pollution sources are also disrupting marine life.
And yes, about 20 gallons of pee sounds gross — especially if you picture it as 20 milk jugs lined up in a row. But in a 220,000-gallon pool, that's only 0.01 percent of the total liquid in the pool — in other words, a drop in the bucket.
Cyanogen chloride potentially can affect the central nervous system, heart and lungs. Trichloramine is an irritant. Bottom line: peeing in the pool may be convenient, but it is not healthy.
The average size pool in the United States is about 20,000 gallons. An in-ground pool with a typical length of 33 feet, width of 16 feet, and depth of 42 inches can be approximately calculated to have these dimensions: 33 x 16 x. 342 = 2,103 cubic feet.
European explorers and naturalists trekking through the Amazon basin heard about the candiru from indigenous communities. As they explained in their reports, they were told the parasitic fish is attracted to human urine, so you should never pee in the Amazon river.
No Peeing on Land
To further safeguard the wildlife and environment, vessel-based visitors are not permitted to go to the toilet (or eat), on land; even in the vicinity of research stations or historic sites.
Some people have found that they can deter rats from coming onto their property by using certain smells and aromas. The most effective smells are essential oils, specifically; peppermint, castor, and citronella.
Rodents do not like the smell of human hair. If you know someone who has a salon or barber shop, ask if you can take some hair out of their trash can and sprinkle that around your garden. It seems rodents do not like it when we humans are around.
Do Rats in Loft Leave the Loft During the Day? Rat noises and scratching noises and sounds such as gnawing and chew sounds are typically heard at night, therefore, it can be established that rats are primarily nocturnal pests and you will likely not notice any signs of rats during the day.