Waste Disposal
January 20, 2011 by Bob Livingston
The recent cholera outbreak in earthquake-ravaged Haiti demonstrates what can happen in a survival scenario when proper sanitation protocols are not followed.
If you find yourself without a functioning sanitation system, you need to take steps necessary to ensure the safety of your party. That means properly disposing of waste.
A 5-gallon bucket makes an excellent waste receptacle if filled with dirt or, even better, kitty litter. Or, you can purchase an enzyme product that is used in sewage treatment plants, septic tanks, cesspools drains and grease traps, according to Emergency Essentials’® Tips For Preparedness.
If you don’t have a bucket you can also dig a latrine trench about four feet long and 18 inches wide. You can lay logs across the trench to use as a seat. Cover feces with small amounts of dirt to reduce odor. Lime, if you have some, will also help to eliminate odor. If the odor gets too strong, fill in the trench and build another.
But remember; always build your latrine downhill and as far away from your water supply as practicable.
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