15. Environmental Sanitation

It is a term, includes all externals to the human body, but in community health nursing it refers to the all internals and externals, both factors that affect on the health of the people.

Sanitation:

• It means the science of safe-guarding health.
• It is way of life.
• It is quality of life expressed in words the clean home, the clean form, the clean business, the clean neighborhood, and the clean community.

Environmental Sanitation:

• The WHO (World Health Organization) defines environmental sanitation as “The control of all those factors in man’s physical environment which exercise or may exercise a harmful effect on his physical development, health and survival” is called Environmental Sanitation.

Components of Environment:

• Physical
• Biological
• Social

Solid Waste Disposal:

Solid waste disposal is also known as “Refuse” which means the solid & discarded material produced by human habitation except human excreta. This includes Market Refuse, Domestic Refuse, Street Refuse, Dead Animals and industrial Refuse etc.

Methods of Disposal of Waste:

• Burning
• Dumping
• Controlled tipping
• Composting
• Recycling

1. Burning:

The Refuse is collected and carried away 5 km from residence area and burnt there.

• Burning refuse for Energy purpose in some Industries:
• In this method, the refuse is burnt in factories as a fuel for production of energy.
• It has dual benefits, one disposal of refuse & second is production of heal energy.

2. Dumping:

• The refuse is carried to 5 km away from residence area and dumped there.
• This is very economical method.
• This method is more beneficial, if refuse is collected and dumped in pits and depressions of land to make its surface smooth.

3. Controlled Tipping:

• In this method, the refuse is dumped in layers of six feet in depth and covered with a layer of earth to exclude air so that it will decompose without causing a nuisance.

4. Composting:

In this method, the refuse is buried in one bricks made-pit. This pit has a size of 2 feet in deep, 4 feet wide with side slopes, but length varies. 20 feet length is considered good.

5. Recycling Method of Disposal of Waste:

• Recycling is a method, used for the combined disposal of dry refuse.
• Recycling by definition is the refuse of materials, either pre-consumer or post-consumer, that would ordinarily be considered waste.
• Recycling helps lessen the amount of waste that goes into landfills, helps reduce the amount of toxic chemicals absorbed into the earth and, in some cases, significantly reduces manufacturing costs and energy consumption.
• There are many misconceptions about what materials can and cannot be recycled. These misconceptions hinder the success and cost-efficiency of recycling programs nationwide. However, with a little consumer education, recycling can be a very important and environmentally sound solution to waste management.

Transmission of faecal born diseases:

• These diseases are transmitted by the method of Ingestion. The main vehicle of microorganism is contaminated water and food, Handshaking, Soil and Flies as vector.
• Diseases are transmitted through excreta are Bacillary Dysentery, Helminthesis, Amaebiasis, Typhoid, Cholera, Hepatitis A, E, D, & Polio. Etc.
• This disease also called water borne and food diseases.

Soil Born Disease:

• Wet Soil born diseases are: Rheumatic Pain, and Respiratory Disorders-Bronchitis, Pneumonia, Bronchial Asthma, Sore throat and pharyngitis.
• Dry soil born diseases are: Wound infections, Tetanus and Gas Gangrene.

Definition of terms used in Sanitation:

1. Sewage:

• Sewage is the liquid waste, human and animals excreta etc.
• It is referred as a waste material, which is carried by water carriage system of disposal.

2. Sewage System:

• Means water carriage system in cities.
• It is a waste matter conveyed in sewers (underground pipe, for carrying off drainage water and sewage).

3. Sullage:

Waste & un-mixed water with sold excreta, from houses is called Sullage.

4. Sludge:

• Sludge means mud present in the sewage.
• Thick greasy mud or sediment.

Methods of Sewage Disposal:

• Sea out fall

Final drainage is poured into Sea. This is method is in Karachi.

• River out fall

Final sewage of city poured into River. Most of cities downing the sewage water into Indus River. Hyderabad, Sukkur, Lahore facilitated with this method.

• Land treatment

The excreta of animals and human with or without total sewage water, is being poured on the surface of land for treatment and fertilizing the land.

• Pit Latrines

It is already discussed in next topic with title of types of 1atrine.

• Open field

This method is mostly used in rural areas, where folks are use to go for voiding in crops on open field. This method also is helpful for fertilizing the crops. And demerit is spreading infections in community.

Types of Latrines:

Following are different types of Latrines:

• Standard Latrine
• Pit Latrine
• Composting Latrine
• Trench Latrine
• Commode Latrine

Ventilated Improved Pit (VIP) latrine:

The VIP latrine is similar to a conventional pit latrine, but has an offset pit that permits the installation of a vertical ventilation pipe (or structure) beside the latrine. The design of the VIP latrine causes air to flow down into the latrine pit through the latrine squat hole and up out of the ventilation pipe, thus removing odors from the latrine. Flies are always attracted by the smell from latrines, but in a VIP latrine they are attracted to the top of the vent-pipe rather than to the latrine squat hole. There they are prevented from entering the vent-pipe by a fly screen fixed across the top of it.

Ventilated Improved Pit VIP Latrine

Construction of Pit Latrine:

• Choose an appropriate site – it should be 30 meter away from water saturated place and 5-30 meters away from house.
• Dig the pit up to 2 meters deep in circular 05 year. It depends on size of family. 2 meter deep is sufficient for 3 members for 5 year.
• Add 50 cm for spare space when abandoning site
• Use caution — a cave-in can be dangerous — use timbers if needed to prevent the walls from caving in
• If soil is unstable, add a foundation or frame around pit or line the pit with bricks or blocks as it is dug.
• Ensure bottom of pit is not lined.
• Prepare slab — concrete with rebar, wood, steel– extend 1 foot (30 cm) beyond each side
• Place slab over pit
• permanent – bricks, cement blocks, adobe/clay, wattle and daub, timber frame with cement slurry or wood walls
• moveable — wood, thatched reeds or bamboo, sheet metal/zinc/corrugated iron, fiber glass, plastic
• Install vent pipe with screen fixed over outlet — keeps flies to a minimum
• Include a lid on the toilet seat
• Include door or spiral entrance
• Fix roof with slope towards the back
• Dig drainage channel to prevent run off from entering the pit.

Double Pit Latrine

Types of Composting Latrines:

Composting latrines can be divided into two basic types, non urine-diverting and urine-diverting.

1. Non Urine-Diverting Latrines

The decomposition or biodegradation process in this type of latrine can occur through aerobic conditions or anaerobic conditions.

Aerobic Composting:

• The first type is a single vault system. This type uses solar panels to heat the compost. An increase in temperature aids in the pathogen reduction through thermal-dependent aerobic bacteria.
• Sawdust and toilet paper are added to adjust the moisture content of the waste. The second type is a double vault system, which is similar to the single vault, but it has two chambers. This method allows for long-term composting.

Anaerobic Composting:

• Anaerobic conditions are achieved through batch composting by eliminating the compost’s exposure to oxygen.
• This latrine is built as a double vault system. When one pit is filled up two-thirds of the way, it is topped with earth and anaerobic composting takes place while the second pit is in use. After the second pit is filled up, the first pit is emptied and the cycle begins again.

Examples of Non Urine-Diverting Latrines:

Fossa Alterna:

• The Fossa Altema latrine consists of two permanent, partially lined shallow pits and a movable latrine slab. Fresh excreta are covered with ash and soil. After about a year of use, the first pit is covered and allowed to decompose for three to four months. Meanwhile, the second pit is used as explained above in the batch composting and the cycle is repeated.

ArborLoo:

• In this case, when the latrine is two thirds of the way full, the toilet is moved and the remaining pit is topped with composted soil, this becomes the hole for planting a tree. As the latrine is being used ash and soil should be added to reduce flies and odor. Kitchen waste can also be added to help decompose the material. This forms nutrient-rich humus, perfect for planting a tree.
• The young tree is then planted within the hole and watered and allowed to grow and mature. The most suitable trees for this are paw paw, guava, mango, avocado and mulberry. Orange, naartjie, “neem” and Moringa are also being examined. Because the latrine is linked with a tree it is called an “ArborLoo“.

2. Urine-Diverting Latrines:

• The composting in this type occurs through dehydration. The first type is a single vault system that separates the urine and feces to decrease the moisture in the pit. The urine is diverted to a pit filled with gravel and sand. Lime is added to raise the pH above 10 to aid in pathogen reduction.
• The second type is the double vault. It is similar to the single vault except there is a barrier between the waste that is dehydrating and the fresh excreta coming in.

Example of Urine-Diverting Latrine:

EnviroLoo:

The EnviroLoo is a dehydrating latrine.

The Rodents

Rodents: These are Mammals with strong incisors and no canine teeth, e.g. the rat, mouse, squirrel, beaver, and porcupine. [Latin rodo=chew]

Domestic Rodent

The Mice:

• They breed frequently and prod ce 40 Rates per year.
• Their weight ranges from 250-1000 Grams.
• Control of Mice:
  • Keeping a cat in house
  • Using a trap device to catch them & dispose.
  • Leaving no food either in day or night
  • Seal the holes where Mice are living.
  • Do not left extra gross near the cattle.
  • Fumigation of house.
  • Improvement of Sanitation

How they harm for man:

• They destroy wood work, electric wiring, and tear the garments.
• They destroy grain, fruits, vegetables and crop.
• The destroy garments.
• They carrier or following diseases:
  • Plague
  • Typhus
  • Food Poisoning.

Mice

How to know the presence of rodents in house:

Inspection: There are ten signs that a professional should look for when conducting their initial (and follow-up) inspection: Droppings, tracks, gnaw marks, burrowing, runways, grease marks, urine stains, live or dead rodents, rodent’s sounds and rodent odors. A good inspection gives you a better idea of the size of the population and the routes taken by the rodents.

Where rodents usually live:

Sanitation: In order for a large population of rodents to flourish, there has to be an abundance of food and water, as well as easy access to a cozy nesting site. By removing or reducing the factors that make any pest population abundant, you remove and reduce the pest.

How you can exclude the rodents from house:

• Controlling rats and mice by making it impossible for them to enter structures is the best way to eliminate and control indoor populations. Although this is not always feasible, exclusion should not be ignored. It is not always possible to do extensive rodent proofing, but in many cases it can be accomplished with minimum effort.
• A building can be rodent proofed by eliminating all openings larger than 1/2 inch for rats and 1/4 for mice. Even after this is done, rodents can slip through open doors and windows, gain access along Plumbing and other utility lines or (especially in the case of mice) is transported indoors with any merchandise. Exclusion also includes repairing doors and windows that do not operate properly or shut securely. Do not forget to inspect and repair air vents that may not be in sound working order.