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Emergency sanitation

Emergency sanitation is the management and technical process that is required to provide sanitation in emergency situations. These circumstances can include man-made or natural disasters. Emergency sanitation is also required during humanitarian relief operations for refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). "Sanitation" normally refers to the management of excreta. "Environmental sanitation" includes stormwater management, solid waste disposal, vector control and air pollution.

Emergency situations are classified into three phases which are called the "immediate", "short-term" and "long-term" phases.

The immediate sanitation phase focuses on a providing proper waste management resources. The main course of action during this stage is reducing open defecation.

Open defecation in Pandharpur, India

It is implemented as a course of initial action in emergency situations and it lasts from one to three months. Toilets provided might include very basic latrines, pit latrines, bucket toilets, container-based toilets or chemical toilets. Providing showers and handwashing facilities is also part of emergency sanitation during all phases

The short term sanitation phase provides technology to contain fecal matter for as long as six months. 75% of the affected population have access to such resources and 75% of the collected waste is disposed of properly. One waste bin that is around 100 liters is provided for the use of 100 people. Bins are placed at a maximum walking distance of 50 miles from congregated areas of people.

Waste management bins installed during the long-term phase are sustainable to use for three years. During this phase, 95% of the population have access to the bins and 95% of the waste is properly of. Bins are placed at a maximum distance of 15 miles from living areas. Fecal sludge management becomes a priority during the long-term emergency management phase.

Background

The term "Emergency" is perceived differently by different people and organisations. In a general sense, an emergency may be considered to be a phenomenon originating from a man-made and/or natural disaster which results in a serious, usually sudden threat to the health or well-being of the affected community which relies on external assistance to easily cope up with the situation. There are different categories of emergency depending on its time frame, whether it lasts for few weeks, several months or years.The number of people who are and will be affected by catastrophes (human crisis and natural disasters), which are increasing in magnitude and frequency, is rapidly increasing. The affected people are subjected to such dangers as temporary homelessness and risks to life and health.

Emergency sanitation is put into place to create suitable living conditions for populations who lack proper water resources and to decrease the spread of waterborne illnesses. In June of 2012, a conference was held with various relief agencies and government officials in order to address proper management of human fecal matter along with the public health of people struck with disaster. They concluded that the current solutions to improper sanitation were not up to date nor the best of quality. The decision to utilize technology to track human feces collection along with the creation of emergency sanitation coordination centers and the use of smart toilets were among a few of the implemented policies.