During preparation against a disaster, a couple of things are put in place, and a few more are not considered – one of them is human waste management. Food and shelter are important, no doubt, but it is equally necessary to have options when it comes to waste.
Sometimes, the regular toilet could be unavailable, and you are left with finding other options for yourself; here, you will learn how to set up emergency toilet the right way.
Building a toilet to settle your waste management issue is a consequential survival skill; it would help when things don’t go as planned. In this article, you will further learn about this type of toilets, factors to consider, and a few tips to ensure a safe environment.
Why Need a Toilet for Prepping Survival?
Hygiene and Sanitation are key concepts in survival so that you don’t fall sick from different causes, especially waste. It is almost challenging to know how to solve waste problems since not many want to talk about it.
Due to the way people handle their waste, it has been responsible for various sicknesses, such as Cholera, Dysentery; hence, it has a way of harming your health.
Unfortunately, during survival, you are sometimes not accessible to medical care, and you have to make use of things around you.
So, why gamble on your health because you couldn’t get rid of human waste when you could have found an alternative?
Building an emergency toilet will not only help to maintain your health but also create a friendly atmosphere for living.
How to Build an Emergency Toilet?
Usually, there are different ways to build an emergency toilet when you need one. Your choice of a make-shift toilet is dependent on the resources you have at that moment for survival.
Portable Toilets
Portable Toilets are sometimes called port-o-lets, or sanitary cans. They are quite useful knowledge that they provide sanitary benefits, especially to a large group of people – the family in this case.
However, this toilet requires a health and safety contractor by the Environmental Health Division of Public Health to pump the waste out against hazards.
Latrines
Another easily accessible option, especially when you are in an intense disaster situation is the Latrine. It involves digging a hole in the ground and making use of toilet seats or covers for convenience. Even if it doesn’t look like the best option available, it has a part to play in emergencies.
For effective use, the hole shouldn’t be anything less than 3 feet deep. Odor-minimizers like dirt, lime, and ash are also advised to use.
Pail Toilet
The Pail Toilet is another traditional method you may want to try out in emergencies. Not only are the resources available, but it is easy to get rid of waste when you are done.
All you need is a pail or container and line the inside with a heavy-duty plastic bag. Do your “business” in the bag and seal properly. Dispose of the waste bag in a sewer or any secured location away from residence.
Backflow Preventers
Peradventure you would like to make use of the toilet in your home; backflow preventers are handy flapped valves to help you with waste. They make sure human waste is completely got rid of, without any chance of flowing back into the house. It is a valuable asset, especially in urban areas; thus, it is important to get a piece depending on your budget.
How to Dispose of Waste?
Setting up an emergency toilet is one thing; learning how to dispose of waste when necessary is another. Depending on the method you tried to use, if you have waste yet to be disposed of, there are a few solutions to that. The essence of proper disposal is so that it doesn’t backfire and affect the health of everyone living in that area.
Generally, 2 disposal methods are quite effective – burning and burying. Both ways have their merits and demerits; however, it is important to know when to use either.
For instance, burying seems convenient even though it is a lot of work to dig a hole about 5 feet in the ground, and 100 feet away from water sources.
On the other hand, you need a burn setup, which would involve a few pieces of equipment to get rid of waste actively.
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What Factors to Consider When Setting Up an Emergency Toilet?
An emergency toilet takes a few considerations to set one properly. Without these factors, it is impossible to get rid of human waste, and that could result in you dealing with more issues than you already have.
Below is a list of things to pay attention to:
Buffer Distance
One of the most vital factors to put in mind when setting up an emergency toilet in a location is buffer distance. It doesn’t matter what waste management method you are using, having a good distance away from eating or food preparation areas is consequential.
Furthermore, in a case where you are digging a hole in the ground, make sure it is at least 100 feet from water sources to prevent contamination.
Essentials
Stock-up with essentials to help facilitate waste disposal process. For instance, get heavy-duty plastic bags, tissue paper, hand sanitizer, sawdust, flapped valve, etc. Tools like pitchfork, funnel, containers, camo tarps, toilet seat or covers, are also useful in the process.
Privacy
Most importantly, make sure the location you have set out for waste removal during emergencies has enough privacy. You don’t want to be interrupted when handling your “business.” For kids, ensure there is close supervision to avoid doing extra work than you intended.
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Conclusion
Your survival during a disaster means you have to give all you’ve got to ensure good health and safety. Sanitation has a part to play in the prepping for survival; hence, you need to know how to handle a couple of things.
With a good knowledge on how to set up emergency toilet the right way, you shouldn’t have issues with disposing of waste and maintaining a healthy environment.
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