As long as it's working properly, you probably never give your septic tank much thought. After all, it doesn't exactly have a glamorous job. What it lacks in glamour, though, it makes up for in importance, silently working to remove the waste from your home. What you may not realize is that, in addition to performing a vital task, your septic tank is actually quite environmentally friendly. To help give you a greater appreciation for your septic tank, here are a few ways that septic tanks help the environment.

A Natural Process

Unlike so much in today's world, a septic tank still relies on natural processes to do its job. Using naturally occurring bacteria, your septic tank works hard to break down the waste from your home. This prevents potentially harmful chemicals from being released into the environment, helping to protect the soil and water in your area.

Reduces Pressure on Garbage Dumps

Since it works independently of the city sewer system, your septic tank helps to reduce pressure on your local garbage dump. This is because many sewer-based systems are forced to dispose of the solid waste in the garbage dump because there is too much waste for bacteria to break down naturally. Given the already-crowded conditions at many dumps, anything that can be done to divert waste away from the dump is a welcome advancement for environmental protection.

Diverts Pollution from Oceans

Another advantage of being independent of a public sewer system is that there's no risk of anything you send down the drains in your home ending up in the ocean. City sewage treatment plants do what they can to remove potential pollutants from wastewater. However, most wastewater is only filtered to a certain point before it is sent to rivers and oceans. If you have a septic tank, though, your waste collects in the tank until the tank is full. When the tank is emptied, you can be sure that with your own wastewater treatment system, all of the waste products will be dealt with in an environmentally friendly manner.

Less Electricity Usage

Although it doesn't take any electricity to send wastewater down the drain, when that wastewater arrives at a treatment plant, a lot of electricity is used. When it comes to a septic tank, though, there is no electricity required since everything happens thanks to gravity and chemistry. This helps to reduce your carbon footprint even as you're contributing to the health of the ecosystem around you.

Though septic tanks have considerable environmental benefits, they must be properly maintained in order for these benefits to be realized. That means maintaining the health of the bacteria population, avoiding pouring harmful substances down your drains, and having your tanks professionally cleaned and inspected on a regular basis. If you follow those simple steps, though, you will be able to rest easy knowing that your septic tank is helping the environment