Objectives of Human Waste Disposal

by Selina Hargett, June 2014

600 words

2 pages

essay

Proper disposal and management of human waste is very important. Human waste left in natural areas can lead to contaminated soil and water supplies, and result in such dangerous diseases as Giardia. This is due to the fact that human faeces contain harmful micro-organisms that instantly contaminate water sources. Cold environment areas slow the decomposition process and aggravate the problem of human waste accumulation. Giardia is caused by a parasite that can survive in cold water and spreads in a result of poorly disposed human waste. It can infect the intestines and cause nausea, chronic diarrhea, dehydration and stomach cramps (WHO, 2004).

The problem of human waste disposal is especially crucial for rural areas where municipal sewage systems are not available. In remote rural towns and villages without sewage or septic systems, people use different methods for containing and disposal of human wastes. Though the idea of packing human waste can seem unpalatable, there is no doubt that it reduces the impact on the local environment in comparison with using any other way of disposing of human waste. Packing human waste out of highly used, sensitive areas is probably the only realistic option for decreasing the negative impact on the area. Many environmentalists give thoughts to the impact of human waste on other people, water, and nature. There are many ways and systems for backpacking wastes, such as WAG Bag, Biffy Bag, tubes or pots (Polprasert, 2007). A lot of efforts to decrease pollution from human waste are made throughout the world. In small towns and villages without sewage systems, it is crucial that the human wastes would be removed or disposed in an efficient and safe manner. Any of the numerous waste disposal methods can be employed to achieve the following objectives: all wastes should be removed to an isolated place for their proper disposal. The wastes should not be accessible to insects, flies or animals; these should not contaminate any ground or surface water supplies. The chosen method of waste disposal should be economical and simple both in operation and construction and should ensure convenience and privacy.

There exist several major objectives for human waste disposal, achieving which would allow us to decrease the risk of spreading numerous infectious diseases. These objectives include: preventing the spread of human waste into the surrounding environment; providing tools for and defecation means to the affected population and fostering community based structures to manage human waste disposal issues; eliminating contact with animals and insects, maximizing decomposition and minimizing the social impacts chances (Polprasert, 2007). Another objective of human waste disposal and recycling consists in possible reclaiming the valuable substances contained in the wastes for future reuse. The list of these valuable substances includes Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus and other elements present in human wastes. The significance of these substances cannot be overestimated. According to some scientists agricultural reuses of human wastes may be a good strategy. Organic wastes may be applied as soil conditioners or fertilizers. However, human …

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