Why the real cost of a pet waste program is bigger than the price of the station itself.

By Avi Kosch

Founder & CEO

NEXGEN DNA, Inc.

There is a natural instinct in purchasing to compare price tags. One pet waste station costs this much, another costs less, one case of bags looks expensive and another appears cheap. On a spreadsheet, that comparison is easy because the numbers are visible and immediate. But pet waste management is not a one-time purchase. It is an operating system that continues long after the station is installed, with costs that accumulate through consumables, maintenance labor, service trips, replacement parts, durability and the small operational problems that appear over time.

That is why I have become increasingly interested in a broader question: what does a pet waste program really cost, and does making a more environmentally responsible choice necessarily mean spending more? Procurement and sustainability are often treated as separate conversations. One focuses on budgets, the other on materials and environmental impact. In practice, they meet every day. Properties buy bags repeatedly, replace liners repeatedly, pay employees to service stations repeatedly and eventually absorb the consequences when equipment runs empty, overflows, deteriorates or simply becomes harder to maintain.

The cheapest product on day one is therefore not necessarily the least expensive product over the years it remains on the property.

The Price Tag Is Only the Beginning

A commercial pet waste station may look simple from a distance, but someone has to keep it functioning. Bags have to be stocked, liners replaced, waste removed and equipment cleaned. Maintenance employees must walk or drive to each location, and every additional trip consumes time. None of those tasks sounds especially expensive by itself. The cost comes from repetition.

That is where capacity begins to matter. PooStation’s 1,200-bag capacity is not an invitation to ignore the dispenser until the last bag disappears. It creates operating margin. Greater capacity can reduce unnecessary refill trips, make servicing more predictable and lower the likelihood that a resident arrives at precisely the wrong moment and finds the dispenser empty. The visible EMPTY indicator supports the same philosophy by making it easier to recognize when attention is needed rather than forcing residents or maintenance personnel to search for a bag that is no longer there.

The waste receptacle presents a similar issue. PooStation uses a 20-gallon covered bin, but the objective is not to allow 20 gallons of pet waste to accumulate. Outdoor trash receptacles rarely contain only what they were intended to hold. Water bottles, food wrappers, soda cans and miscellaneous trash inevitably join the tied waste bags. Additional capacity gives maintenance room to service the receptacle before it becomes tightly packed or begins overflowing.

Those are costs that rarely appear on the original quote. Durability is another. Equipment that fades, corrodes, breaks or needs repeated repairs can become expensive gradually, while a product engineered for years of outdoor exposure may justify a different initial price simply by continuing to perform. Purchase price is obvious on day one. Total cost of ownership reveals itself over time.

Pet Waste Has an Environmental Cost Too

The financial side of the equation is only half the story. Pet waste left on the ground is not simply unpleasant; it can become an environmental pollutant when rainfall carries bacteria and nutrients into storm drains and waterways.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency identifies pet waste as a source of bacteria, nitrogen and phosphorus in stormwater runoff. EPA educational materials have also cited up to approximately 23 million fecal coliform bacteria in a single gram of dog feces. That figure challenges a surprisingly persistent misconception that dog waste left on grass is simply a natural fertilizer that will disappear without consequence.

Rain changes what happens next. Waste can break down, move with runoff and enter waterways, particularly where stormwater systems discharge without the kind of treatment many people assume happens first. Seen from that perspective, a pet waste station is not merely a convenience for dog owners. It is part of a system intended to get waste off the ground and into a managed disposal stream.

Once we start thinking about environmental impact, however, another issue becomes impossible to ignore: the bags and liners themselves are recurring consumables. A single bag seems insignificant. Tens of thousands of them over the life of a property are not.

A Better Bag Shouldn’t Require a Premium Price

A common commercial pet waste roll bag is approximately 8 by 13 inches. PooStation’s bag is approximately 23 by 40 centimeters, or about 9.1 by 15.7 inches. By flat surface area, that makes the PooStation bag roughly 37% larger than a typical 8-by-13-inch commercial bag.

That extra size is practical rather than cosmetic. Anyone who has picked up after a large dog knows how quickly a small bag can begin to feel inadequate. More surface area means more material around the hand and more room to handle the waste. That can be especially useful for someone with larger hands, limited dexterity, a brace or cast, or simply anyone who wants greater separation between their hand and what they are picking up.

We should not pretend a larger bag scientifically guarantees a particular reduction in contamination; we do not have evidence supporting that claim. The design logic is simpler: more coverage can make an unpleasant task easier and more comfortable.

The economic question is whether a larger, environmentally positioned bag has to cost more. I don’t think it should.

PooStation’s commercial pet waste bags are oversized, biodegradable and printed in two colors on both sides, while our goal is to keep them among the most competitively priced environmentally positioned commercial bags available. If a customer finds a lower qualifying commercial bag price at the same purchase quantity, our intention is to match it—even if the competing bag is smaller.

That philosophy matters because the objective isn’t to win a race to the bottom by making the cheapest possible generic bag. It is to remove price as the reason a property settles for less bag.

The same discussion applies to the larger bag nobody talks about: the liner inside the waste receptacle. Every small pet waste bag eventually enters a much larger liner that maintenance removes and replaces. PooStation’s 68 × 84 cm, 25-micron drawstring liner is designed for the 20-gallon waste bin and uses HDPE with an EPI additive. In the market pricing we reviewed, PooStation’s liners were materially less expensive per liner than several commercially available compostable or environmentally positioned alternatives.

Those products are not environmentally identical, and we should not treat biodegradable, bio-based, oxo-biodegradable and compostable as interchangeable terms. They describe different materials and standards. But the comparison still challenges a familiar assumption: an environmentally considered option does not automatically have to be the most expensive one.

That matters when the purchase repeats year after year.

ROI Is Bigger Than a Percentage

The phrase “return on investment” often implies that every benefit should end in a precise percentage. Property operations are not always that neat.

Some costs are easy to calculate. Employee time has a value. Consumable pricing can be compared case by case. Replacement expenses can be tracked. A property can measure how often bags are refilled, liners are changed or equipment requires attention.

Other costs are harder to assign a number but still matter.

What does an empty dispenser cost when a resident needs a bag? What does an overflowing waste receptacle cost when it becomes the thing a prospective resident notices while touring the property? What does recurring uncollected pet waste do to a community’s appearance? What does prematurely rusted or faded equipment communicate about a property that has invested heavily in landscaping, amenities and curb appeal?

Those are not imaginary costs simply because they are harder to put into a spreadsheet.

That is why I prefer to think in terms of total value rather than lowest acquisition price. PooStation was developed around that broader view. Its 1,200-bag capacity, covered 20-gallon bin, EMPTY indicator, hands-free foot pedal, accessible hand lever, integrated LED, outdoor material choices, oversized biodegradable bags and biodegradable liners were not conceived as unrelated features. They were intended to work together as a system that considers the resident, the maintenance team, the property and the environment around it.

The same philosophy should apply to pricing. A more environmentally responsible choice should not require a property to abandon financial discipline, and a better-performing product should not command an unreasonable premium simply because it performs better.

The cheapest bag may not provide the best coverage. The cheapest liner may not provide the environmental characteristics a property wants. The cheapest station may create more maintenance work or age faster outdoors. The better question is therefore not simply, What does this cost today?

It is: What am I paying for over the years I own and operate it?

That is where ROI, sustainability and product design finally meet. A property should be able to reduce unnecessary operating friction, make a more environmentally considered choice and still remain disciplined about cost.

Better should not automatically mean more expensive. And greener should not have to mean giving up value.

That may be the most useful return on investment of all.

Learn more about PooStation by NEXGEN DNA, Inc. at PooStation.com.

Cleaner Spaces Happier Places™

Sources

  1. S. Environmental Protection Agency — Pet-waste management and nutrient-pollution guidance addressing bacteria, nitrogen, phosphorus and stormwater runoff.
  2. EPA-hosted watershed and educational materials — References to pet waste containing up to approximately 23 million fecal coliform bacteria per gram.
  3. Current commercial pet-waste bag market research — Pricing and size comparisons among standard, bio-based, biodegradable and compostable commercial roll bags.
  4. Current commercial waste-liner market research — Pricing comparisons among biodegradable, compostable and conventional pet-waste station liners.
  5. PooStation product specifications — 23 × 40 cm oversized pet waste bags; 68 × 84 cm, 25-micron drawstring liners; 1,200-bag capacity; 20-gallon covered waste bin; EMPTY indicator; LED lighting; foot-pedal and accessible hand-lever operation.

PooStation Campground & RV Park Trade Publication Outreach Guide

Editorial, blog and association opportunities for contributed articles and industry PR
Verified August 25, 2026

Recommended starting point: Begin with Woodall’s Campground Magazine, Modern Campground, OHI, and the Florida RV Park & Campground Association. These provide the closest match to campground/RV-park owners and operators—the people most likely to buy or specify PooStation.

Recommended Editorial Strategy

  • Lead with education, not a product pitch. The strongest stories should solve an operator problem: labor, cleanliness, guest experience, pet-friendly amenities, station placement, capacity, accessibility or maintenance.
  • Use PooStation as supporting expertise. In most contributed articles, the author bio and company attribution can create the commercial value without turning the body of the story into an advertisement.
  • Create one “master” campground article, then adapt it for each publication. Change the headline, opening, examples and length so every pitch feels native to that audience.
  • For association publications, supplier membership can be worthwhile when it unlocks article submissions, newsletters, member lists, trade shows or speaking opportunities.
  • Where a publication does not accept vendor-written editorial, use sponsored content, expert-source interviews, product news or advertising rather than trying to disguise a promotional article as independent editorial.

Priority Matrix

Priority Publication / Organization Best Use Fit
TIER 1 Woodall’s Campground Magazine (WCM) Pitch an educational, non-promotional article directly to editorial. Ben Quiggle is a strong first contact because he covers the campground sector; Rick Kessler is Publisher & Executive Editor. 10/10
TIER 1 Modern Campground Apply as a recurring columnist rather than submitting a one-time guest post. Also use its press-release channel for genuine company/product news. 10/10
TIER 1 OHI (Outdoor Hospitality Industry) – OHI Blog / OHINews Approach OHI with an educational supplier-expert contribution, case study, or resource-center concept. Supplier/associate membership may improve access and credibility. 9.5/10
TIER 1 Florida RV Park & Campground Association (FRVCA) Investigate supplier membership first. Then use the included article/PR opportunities and e-newsletter visibility. 9.5/10
TIER 1 Pennsylvania Campground Owners Association – Campground Quarterly / PCOA News Pitch a practical operator article to the Executive Director/editorial contact. Supplier membership and newsletter advertising can be paired with editorial outreach if appropriate. 9/10
TIER 2 RVBusiness Pitch as industry news, innovation, product-development story, or a data-backed outdoor-hospitality trend rather than a generic guest post. 8.5/10
TIER 2 Parks & Rec Business (PRB+) / Camp Business Do not submit as though PooStation were an independent non-vendor contributor. Contact the publication about vendor-appropriate editorial, expert commentary, sponsored content, or advertising tied to a useful article. 8/10
TIER 2 RV Today Magazine Pitch a traveler-focused educational story about what makes a truly pet-friendly campground. Avoid making the article a product advertisement. 7.5/10
TIER 2 RV Travel Submit a consumer-education article through the site form; choose a practical pet-travel angle and mention PooStation lightly in the author bio or relevant context. 7.5/10
TIER 3 RV PRO Pitch the executive editor with a concise newsworthy angle: product innovation, outdoor-hospitality infrastructure trend, or supplier/company milestone. 6.5/10
TIER 3 RV Executive Today (RVDA) Submit a short abstract first. Best used for a broader RV-industry or customer-experience angle, not a campground-operator sales article. 6/10
TIER 3 Carolinas Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (CARVC) Approach as a supplier and ask about educational e-newsletter contributions, vendor spotlights, seminar proposals and directory placement. 7/10

TIER 1 – HIGHEST PRIORITY

Woodall’s Campground Magazine (WCM)   10/10

Audience: Owners and operators of RV parks, campgrounds, RV resorts and glamping properties across North America.

Why it matters: Probably the single best editorial target for PooStation in this vertical. WCM is a B2B publication focused specifically on campground/outdoor-hospitality operators and publishes monthly.

Recommended approach: Pitch an educational, non-promotional article directly to editorial. Ben Quiggle is a strong first contact because he covers the campground sector; Rick Kessler is Publisher & Executive Editor.

Contact: Ben Quiggle – bquiggle@rvbusiness.com | Rick Kessler – rkessler@rvbusiness.com

Website: https://woodallscm.com/contact-us/

Article angles:

  • Why Pet-Friendly Campgrounds Need to Rethink Pet Waste Infrastructure
  • The Hidden Labor Cost of Traditional Pet Waste Stations at Large Campgrounds
  • Designing Cleaner Walking Routes for Campers Traveling With Dogs

 

Modern Campground   10/10

Audience: Campground owners, RV park operators, glamping resort professionals, suppliers and other outdoor-hospitality decision-makers.

Why it matters: Extremely strong fit. It is dedicated to outdoor hospitality and explicitly seeks industry columnists. Accepted writers receive a bio, company introduction, website link and SEO benefits.

Recommended approach: Apply as a recurring columnist rather than submitting a one-time guest post. Also use its press-release channel for genuine company/product news.

Contact: Columnist application on website | Press releases: hello@moderncampground.com

Website: https://moderncampground.com/write-for-us/

Article angles:

  • The Pet-Friendly Amenity Campgrounds Often Overlook
  • Convenience Over Enforcement: A Better Way to Keep Campgrounds Clean
  • How Smarter Pet Waste Infrastructure Improves the Guest Experience

 

OHI (Outdoor Hospitality Industry) – OHI Blog / OHINews   9.5/10

Audience: Campground, RV park and outdoor-resort owners/operators plus suppliers and industry professionals.

Why it matters: OHI is a core national industry organization. Its own resources identify Modern Campground and Woodall’s as key publications, and OHI publishes educational blog and newsletter content for operators.

Recommended approach: Approach OHI with an educational supplier-expert contribution, case study, or resource-center concept. Supplier/associate membership may improve access and credibility.

Contact: Use OHI contact/member channels and ask for the editorial/communications contact for OHI Blog or OHINews.

Website: https://ohi.org/ohi-blog/

Article angles:

  • Planning Pet Amenities in New and Expanding Campgrounds
  • Reducing Maintenance Burden Without Reducing Guest Service
  • Pet-Friendly Outdoor Hospitality: From Marketing Claim to Operational Standard

 

Florida RV Park & Campground Association (FRVCA)   9.5/10

Audience: More than 400 RV parks, campgrounds and industry suppliers in Florida, according to the association.

Why it matters: Especially valuable because Florida is an initial PooStation sales market. FRVCA specifically lists supplier-member PR/marketing support, including the ability to write articles and distribute press releases to park owners.

Recommended approach: Investigate supplier membership first. Then use the included article/PR opportunities and e-newsletter visibility.

Contact: Use FRVCA membership/contact channel; ask specifically about supplier article submissions and newsletter editorial calendar.

Website: https://campflorida.org/learn-more-benefits/

Article angles:

  • Keeping Florida RV Resorts Cleaner During Peak Season
  • Designing Pet Waste Stations for High-Traffic, Year-Round Outdoor Hospitality
  • Five Operational Questions to Ask Before Adding or Replacing Pet Waste Stations

 

Pennsylvania Campground Owners Association – Campground Quarterly / PCOA News   9/10

Audience: Pennsylvania campground owners, operators and vendors.

Why it matters: A direct operator audience. The association publishes a quarterly campground-industry newsletter and invites companies/members to send news or articles for publication.

Recommended approach: Pitch a practical operator article to the Executive Director/editorial contact. Supplier membership and newsletter advertising can be paired with editorial outreach if appropriate.

Contact: Jason Vaughan, Executive Director – via PCOA office/contact information on pacamping.com

Website: https://www.pacamping.com/news

Article angles:

  • Pet Waste Management as a Campground Operations Issue
  • How to Place Pet Waste Stations Around Large Outdoor Properties
  • What Campground Owners Should Look for When Replacing Aging Pet Stations

 

 

 

TIER 2 – STRONG SECONDARY TARGET

RVBusiness   8.5/10

Audience: RV-industry executives, manufacturers, suppliers, dealers and other industry decision-makers; it also carries outdoor-hospitality/campground coverage.

Why it matters: Broader than WCM, but influential and connected to the same media group. It regularly covers campground trends and outdoor hospitality.

Recommended approach: Pitch as industry news, innovation, product-development story, or a data-backed outdoor-hospitality trend rather than a generic guest post.

Contact: Rick Kessler – rkessler@rvbusiness.com | Ben Quiggle – bquiggle@rvbusiness.com | Editorial directory on site

Website: https://rvbusiness.com/contact/

Article angles:

  • Why Pet-Friendly Infrastructure Is Becoming an Outdoor-Hospitality Investment Category
  • The Next Generation of Campground Pet Amenities
  • What Campground Expansion Means for Pet-Waste Operations

 

Parks & Rec Business (PRB+) / Camp Business   8/10

Audience: Park, recreation, camp and facility professionals; national readership.

Why it matters: Its editorial calendar includes campgrounds, dog parks, maintenance, facilities and outdoor design – all natural topics for educational PooStation content. However, its free contributor program states that vendors/advertisers/potential advertisers do not qualify, so PooStation should approach carefully through editorial, sponsored content or advertising channels.

Recommended approach: Do not submit as though PooStation were an independent non-vendor contributor. Contact the publication about vendor-appropriate editorial, expert commentary, sponsored content, or advertising tied to a useful article.

Contact: Contributor/contact page; phone 866-444-4216.

Website: https://www.prbplus.com/contribute/

Article angles:

  • Designing Better Dog-Waste Infrastructure for Parks and Campgrounds
  • Reducing Maintenance Visits in High-Use Outdoor Facilities
  • Accessible Pet-Waste Amenities for Public Recreation Spaces

 

RV Today Magazine   7.5/10

Audience: RV travelers and campers rather than primarily campground operators.

Why it matters: Useful for consumer-side credibility and awareness. RV Today openly accepts story pitches and completed stories and features campground highlights.

Recommended approach: Pitch a traveler-focused educational story about what makes a truly pet-friendly campground. Avoid making the article a product advertisement.

Contact: Story-pitch and submission forms on the Work With Us page; general: info@rvtoday.com

Website: https://rvtoday.com/work-with-us/

Article angles:

  • What Dog Owners Should Look for in a Truly Pet-Friendly Campground
  • The Small Campground Amenities That Make Traveling With Dogs Easier
  • Why Clean Pet-Waste Areas Matter to the Camping Experience

 

RV Travel   7.5/10

Audience: Large consumer RVing audience, including frequent campground users.

Why it matters: RV Travel explicitly accepts articles, ideas, news items and press releases. Completed article submissions can be up to 700 words.

Recommended approach: Submit a consumer-education article through the site form; choose a practical pet-travel angle and mention PooStation lightly in the author bio or relevant context.

Contact: Online submission form.

Website: https://www.rvtravel.com/submit/

Article angles:

  • Five Signs a Campground Really Is Dog-Friendly
  • Campground Etiquette for RVers Traveling With Dogs
  • Why the Best Pet-Friendly Parks Make Cleanup Convenient

 

 

 

TIER 3 – ADJACENT / PR OPPORTUNITY

RV PRO   6.5/10

Audience: RV business professionals in manufacturing, distribution, products, services and business management.

Why it matters: Not campground-specific, but a respected B2B RV trade publication with editor contact information. A product/innovation or industry-supplier story could fit.

Recommended approach: Pitch the executive editor with a concise newsworthy angle: product innovation, outdoor-hospitality infrastructure trend, or supplier/company milestone.

Contact: Jennifer King, Executive Editor – contact details listed on RV PRO magazine page.

Website: https://rv-pro.com/magazine/

Article angles:

  • New Product Category Targets a Long-Ignored Campground Operations Problem
  • Pet-Friendly Travel Growth Creates New Infrastructure Needs for RV Resorts

 

RV Executive Today (RVDA)   6/10

Audience: RV dealers and dealership managers in the U.S. and Canada.

Why it matters: The audience is dealer-focused rather than campground-focused, but the magazine openly welcomes educational bylined submissions of 800-1,200 words on industry trends and best practices. It can support broader RV-industry credibility.

Recommended approach: Submit a short abstract first. Best used for a broader RV-industry or customer-experience angle, not a campground-operator sales article.

Contact: Editorial: Eric Sisk – esisk@rvda.org

Website: https://www.rvda.org/RVDA/Shared_Content/Advertising/Advertising_Information.aspx

Article angles:

  • How Pet-Friendly Travel Is Changing the RV Customer Experience
  • Outdoor Hospitality Amenities and the Expectations of Today’s RV Buyer

 

 

 

TIER 3 – REGIONAL EXPANSION

Carolinas Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds (CARVC)   7/10

Audience: RV park and campground owners/operators in North and South Carolina plus outdoor travelers.

Why it matters: CARVC offers supplier-facing directory, website and e-newsletter exposure directly to campground decision-makers. Even if editorial contribution is not clearly guaranteed, it is a strong regional association relationship and content/advertising target for Southeast expansion.

Recommended approach: Approach as a supplier and ask about educational e-newsletter contributions, vendor spotlights, seminar proposals and directory placement.

Contact: Use CampingCarolinas.com association/supplier contact channels.

Website: https://www.campingcarolinas.com/

Article angles:

  • Pet-Friendly Campground Operations in the Carolinas
  • Planning Dog-Waste Amenities for Large RV Resorts and Destination Parks

 

 

 

Article Concepts to Develop First

  1. The Campground Article I Would Write First

Why Pet-Friendly Campgrounds Need to Rethink Pet Waste Infrastructure

A non-sales article explaining how campground scale, walking patterns, peak-season occupancy, dog traffic, waste-bin capacity, bag availability and maintenance frequency affect cleanliness and guest satisfaction. This gives us a natural way to discuss the design principles behind PooStation without writing an advertisement.

  1. Operations / Cost

The Hidden Labor Cost of Traditional Pet Waste Stations

Focus on service frequency, small receptacles, bag refilling, maintenance routes and staff time. The thesis: an amenity that looks inexpensive can create recurring operational cost when its capacity and design do not match the property.

  1. Guest Experience

Pet-Friendly Is More Than Allowing Dogs

Explain that modern pet-friendly hospitality includes convenient cleanup points, appropriate placement, reliable bag availability, nighttime visibility, cleanliness and accessibility.

  1. Planning / Design

How Many Pet Waste Stations Does a Campground Need?

A planning-oriented article covering acreage, occupied sites, walking routes, dog areas, trailheads, common areas and service patterns. This could eventually connect to PooStation’s planned station-placement calculator.

  1. Accessibility / Facility Design

Designing Pet Waste Amenities for More Guests

Discuss ease of use, accessible controls, visibility, sanitation and placement as part of thoughtful outdoor-facility design.

  1. Founder / Innovation Story

Why a Hospitality Product Designer Rethought the Traditional Pet Waste Station

A founder-led innovation story about identifying an overlooked operational problem and redesigning a familiar amenity around capacity, sanitation, convenience and maintenance.

Suggested Outreach Order

  1. Pitch Woodall’s Campground Magazine first.
  2. Apply to Modern Campground as an industry columnist and separately keep its press-release channel available for product/company news.
  3. Contact FRVCA about supplier membership and its explicit supplier article/press-release opportunities.
  4. Approach OHI communications/editorial with an educational article concept and ask about supplier/associate contribution opportunities.
  5. Approach PCOA / Campground Quarterly as a regional operator publication.
  6. Use RVBusiness for broader industry-news credibility.
  7. Adapt the article for RV Today and RV Travel if we want consumer-facing awareness among campers and RV travelers.
  8. Use PRB+, RV PRO and RV Executive Today selectively when the article angle aligns with their audience.

Research Notes & Source Links

This guide was researched against current publication/association pages available on August 25, 2026. Editorial policies can change, so submission requirements should be rechecked immediately before pitching.

Carolinas Association of RV Parks & Campgrounds: https://www.campingcarolinas.com/

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