health

1. ENVIRONMEN
TAL HEALTH
AND
SANITATION
S A G U N L O H A L A

2. INTRODUCTION
• Derived from French word “environ” which
means “surrounding”
• Environment is everything in our surrounding.
• Includes all the living and non-living things
around us
• As health of each individual dependent on all
those factors, there is need to learn about
environmental health.

3. DEFINITION OF ENVIRONMENT
• The environment is defined as “the total
external condition affecting the life and
development of an organism, human
behavior and society”. – Ghosh

4. DEFINITION CONT’D…
• In the modern concept, environment includes
not only the water, air, and soil that form our
environment but also the social and
economic conditions under which we live.” –
K. Park

5. SANITATION
• Dictionary meaning for sanitation is “the
science of safe guarding health”.
• According to National Sanitation Foundation
of USA, “Sanitation is a way of life. It is the
quality of living that is expressed in the clean
farm, the clean business, the clean
neighborhood and the clean community”.

6. ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION
• According to WHO, “environmental
sanitation” is defined as “the control of all
those factors in men’s physical environment
which exercise or may exercise a deleterious
effect on his physical development, health
and survival”.
• The word environmental sanitation is
replaced by environmental health.

7. ECO-HEALTH
• An emerging field of study investigating how
changes in the earth’s ecosystems affect
human health. Eco-health examines changes
in the biological, physical, social and
economic environments and relates these
changes to human health.

8. COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENT
• Micro environment/ Internal Environment
• Macro environment
Componets
of
Environment
Physical
environment
Biological
Environment
Psycho-
social
environment

9. REFUSE
• According to Oxford dictionary, “Refuse is a
formed waste material which may lower the
living standards of people if not properly
disposed”.

10. REFUSE
• All the solid waste materials produced by
human being except human excreta.
• Simply known as rubbish, trash, refuse, litter or
garbage.
• Attracts rodents like rats and dogs and carry
pathogens to humans through flies and dust
and also adds to the ill effects on the health of
people by the spread of several infectious

11. TYPES OF REFUSE

12. SOURCE OF REFUSE
• Industrial Waste
• Commercial Waste/ Market Refuse
• Domestic Refuse
– Rubbish
– Garbage
• Agriculture Waste
• Street Waste
• Dead animals
• Health Care waste

13. METHODS OF REFUSE DISPOSAL
1. Burning and incineration
2. Controlled tipping
3. Composting and burial
4. Manure pit
5. Earth worm plant

14. BURNING AND INCINERATION
• Burning or incineration is frequently employed for the
disposal of combustible trash;
• This should normally take place off-site or at least a
significant distance downwind of houses
• May be utilized to decrease waste and may be
acceptable where burial or landfill space is limited.

15. CONT’D…
• Once burned, waste should be ignited within pits and
covered with soil.
• Bio-medical waste or hospital waste which is
dangerous is disposed with burning and incineration.

16. INCINERATOR
• This is a high temperature dry oxidation
process that reduces organic and flammable
waste to inorganic fire-resistant matter and
result in a very significant reduction of waste
volume and weight
• Used to treat wastes that cannot be recycled,
reused or disposed-off in a landfill site.

17. TYPES OF INCINERATOR
Single chamber
• Used when pyrolytic incinerators are not affordable. It
has good disinfection efficiency.
Double chamber:
• Used for incineration of all infectious waste and most
pharmaceutical and chemical waste. It has very good
disinfection efficiency.
Rotary kilns:
• It is good for all infectious waste, most chemical and
pharmaceutical waste. E.g. biohazard wastes from
hospitals etc.

18. CONT’D…
Figure: A typical incineration

19. PROCESS OF INCINERATION
• Dig open pits and line them with stones. Then, refuses
is put into the pit and burn. OR
• A drum is provided with a trap at its bottom and gaps
along its lower part for ventilation. Solid wastes are put
into it until full. Later, the waste is fired.

20. WASTE THAT CANNOT BE
INCINERATED
• Pressurized gas containers
• Large amount of reactive chemical waste
• Silver salts and photographic and radiographic wastes
• Halogenated plastic such as PCV.
• Waste with high mercury or cadmium content such as
broken thermometers, used batteries and land lined
wooden panels
• Sealed ampoule or ampoules containing heavy metals

21. ADVANTAGE OF INCINERATION
• Reduced Quantity of Waste
• Efficient Waste Management
• Better Control Over Odor and Noise
• Reduced Reliance on Transportation
• Eliminates Harmful Germs and Chemicals
• Operates in Any Weather
• Effective Material Recycling
• It has a Computerized Monitoring System

22. DISADVANTAGE OF INCINERATION
• Expensive to build and operate
• High energy requirement
• Requires skilled personnel and continuous
maintenance
• Disposal of refuse by burning is a loss to the
community in terms of much needed manure
• Produces smoke
• It has a Computerized Monitoring System

23. CONTROLLED TIPPING/ SANITARY
LANDFILL
• Solid waste is disposed of into a dug pit and is
regularly covered with soil to avoid attracting
disease vectors and rodents
• Covering the waste also stops it from being
blown by the wind and avoids bad smells

24. CONTROLLED CONT’D…
• In controlled tipping waste is deposited in thin
layers (up to 1 meter or 3 feet) and promptly
compacted by heavy machinery (e.g.
bulldozer)
• Buried refuse goes through chemical,
bacteriological and physical changes

25. CONTROLLED CONT’D…
• Within 7 days, temperature arises over 60o C
and kills all the pathogens and increases the
decomposition process
• Take 2 to 3 weeks to cool down. Complete
decomposition take place within 4 to 6 months.
• Water sources should not be located nearby
the pit to prevent from pollution.

26. TYPES OF CONTROLLED TIPPING
Trench method:
• A pit of 2 to 3 meter deep and 4 to 12 meter
wide; compacted refuse is placed to a depth of
2 meter and cover with excavated earth;
tentative need is 1 acer land for 10000
population

27. TYPES OF CONTROLLED TIPPING
Ramp method:
• This type is suitable for moderately sloping;
refuse is covered with excavated earth
afterward.
Area method:
• It is suitable for filling land depression, disused
pits and clay pits; refuse is placed 2 to 2.5 m
deep and the surface is covered with a mud at

28. ADVANTAGES
• Sealing prevents infestation by flies and rodents.
• Suppresses the nuisance of smell and dust.
• Modern landfill site prevent pollution of ground water.
• Land can be used for agriculture
• Can handle large amount of wastes.
• Filled land can be used for other community purposes
like building parks, golf courses or other suitable public
projects.

29. DISADVANTAGE
• Slow decomposition of waste.
• Completed landfill areas can settle and requires
maintenance.
• Requires proper planning, design and operation.
• Requires more land for pits. The risks for waste
leachate are due to its high organic contaminant
and ammonia concentration.

30. DISADVANTAGE CONT’D…
• Older and poorly designed landfills can
generate liquid leach ate, another common
byproduct of landfills is gas which is produced
as organic waste breaks down an aerobically.
This gas can create odor problems, kill surface
vegetation and is a greenhouse gas.

31. COMPOSTING
• Composting is method of combined disposal of
refuse and night soil or sludge
• It is simply the slow, natural decomposition of
organics
• Composting at home is the controlled and
faster decomposition of organics such as yard
trimmings and food waste that you and your
family generate.

32. COMPOSTING CONT’D…
• Microorganisms break down this material into
compost – a nutrient-rich product that can be
used as a soil amendment in yards, gardens,
flower beds and potted plants
• The main byproducts of the process are CO2,
water and heat
• The heat produced during the process is 60oc
or more.

33. METHODS OF COMPOSTING
Aerobically/ Bangalore Method/
Hot Fermentation Method
Anaerobically/ Mechanical
Method
• During aerobic composting
aerobic micro-organisms
oxidize organic compounds
to Carbon dioxide, Nitrite
and Nitrate.
• During anaerobic process,
the anaerobic
microorganisms
metabolizing the nutrients,
break down the organic
compounds through a
process of reduction.
• Whole process is completed
by 4 to 6 months
• Whole process is completed
by 4 to 6 weeks
• A pit is dug which is 3 feet
deep, 5 to 8 feet broad, and
15 to 30 feet long

34. ADVANTAGES
• It will not produce any nuisance or harm to the
public
• It produces manure which is beneficial for
agricultural purpose
• It is economically productive as manure can be
sold
• Using compost improves soil structure, texture,
and aeration and increases the soil’s water holding

35. DISADVANTAGE
• If human excreta are used, special care has to
be taken.

36. BURIAL METHOD
• Suitable for small camps
• A trench of 1.5m wide and 2 m deep is excavated and
at the end of each day the refuse is covered with 20 to
30 cm of earth
• When the level in the trench is 40 cm from ground
level, the trench is filled with earth and compacted and
a new trench is dug out. The contents may be taken
out after 4 to 6 months and used on the fields.
• If the trench is 1 m in length for every 200 persons, it
will be filled in about 1 week.

37. Advantages:
• Prevents fly breeding and rodents.
• Prevents bad odor.
Disadvantages:
• Requires more land for pits.
• Only small amount of refuse can be
disposed.

38. MANURE PITS
• Pits are dug by the individual householders
• Useful in rural areas
• The garbage, cattle dung, straw and leaves
should be dumped into the manure pits and
covered with earth after each days dumping
• Two such pits will be needed; when one is
closed the other will be in use

39. MANURE PITS
• 4 to 6 feet deep and 3 to 4 feet wide pit is dug.
• In 5 to 6 months of time, the refuse is
converted into manure which can be returned
to the field. This method of refuse disposal is
effective and relatively simple in rural
communities.

40. Advantages
• It is neither a nuisance to public nor harmful to
human health.
• Manure is produced which is beneficial for
agricultural purposes.
• It is economically beneficial when the compost is
sold.
Disadvantages
• It is not suitable for urban area due to limited
space.

41. Earthworm Plant/Vermiculture/
Vermicompost
Vermi-culture is the culture of earthworms. The
goal is to continually increase the number of
worms in order to obtain a sustainable harvest.
The worms are either used to expand a
vermicomposting operation or sold to customers
who use them for the same or other purposes.

42. Earthworm Plant Cont’d…
• Worm composting can be carried out in any
backyard bin or container. The manure
produced by earthworm provides necessary
nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and nutrients
to plants.
• Earthworm can be grown in a bucket made up
of wood, bamboo or plastic
• A temperature that is too high or too low will

43. Earthworm Plant Cont’d…
• A temperature that is too high or too low will
dry or freeze the worms.
• A cold worm bin can also make worms sluggish
and kill off beneficial bacteria, there by slowing
the process of turning the compost material
into usable soil.
• Worms eat any organic material in the soil like
fruits, vegetables and plant remains.

44. Earthworm Plant Cont’d…
• Worm castings are very beneficial to the soil as
soil is aerated to bring more oxygen to the
roots of the plant.
• Worms can't survive without moisture. They
breathe through their skin and their skin must
remain moist all the times.

45. Process of Vermiculture
1. Dig the garden to find earthworms or
purchase them.
2. The number of worms depends on the size of
the container and the amount of material
composting.
3. 2 to 3 inch thick layer of straw, cotton clothes,
dried leaves, jute or paper is kept in a bucket
and moistened with water.

46. Process Cont’d…
4. Then the layer of dried cow dung or decayed
refuses is kept.
5. Once the container is filled with bedding
material, green ingredients can also be
added like fruit and vegetable peelings,
crushed eggshells and other organic
materials from home or garden.
6. Each time add these materials.

47. Process Cont’d…
7. Then earth worm are left on it, and covered
with jute, cotton clothes or straw and is
moistened.
8. After a few months, the compost will be
brown and full of worm castlings. Finished
compost is pushed to one side and new
bedding materials are added to the other half
of the bin.

48. Process Cont’d…
9. The worms will naturally move out of the ready to
use compost and into the new bedding.
10.Now the heady-to-use compost can be used
in garden. Place the worm container away
from direct sunlight. Duration of making
compost is 60 to 70 days for the1st time and
then 40 to 50 days.

49. Types Of Refuse For Vermiculture
• Animal dung: cow, goat, buffalo, rabbit, etc.
• Dead plants or other plant wastage.
• Refuses from home or city.
• Wastage from bio gas plant.
• Omit meat as this can attract flies and grass
clippings which can heat up and harm the
worms.

50. ADVANTAGES
• Organic household waste is recycled into
compost.
• Prevents environmental pollution.
• Makes soil more fertile as worms aerate the
soil.

51. Disadvantages
• Fruit flies can be attracted to worm compost
bin and can be a nuisance.
• Excessive moisture can lead to strong bad
smell.
• Some people cannot get comfortable with the
idea of having worms in their home.
• Cost of red wiggler worm is high.
• Pets should be kept away from the earth worm