Latrine
Encyclopedia
A latrine is a communal facility containing one or more commonly many toilet
s which may be simple pit toilet
s or in the case of the United States Armed Forces
(or more specifically, the US Army and US air force) any toilet
including modern flush toilet
s. The term is derived from the Latin
lavatrina meaning bath.
Many forms of latrine technology have been used in the past, from utterly simple to more sophisticated, while newer developments show promise using ecological sanitation
(EcoSan).
Pit toilet
s are the simplest and cheapest type, minimally defined as a hole in the ground. More sophisticated pit toiles may include a floor plate, a waterproof liner for the pit to avoid contamination of the water table
or ventilation to reduce odor
and fly
/mosquito
breeding. Other technologies may be used including Reed Odourless Earth Closet (ROEC)
or Composting toilet
s, Pour-Flush Latrine, popularized by Sulabh International
, Cistern-Flush Toilet, Bucket Latrine or Pour-Flush Toilet and Vault.
The term "Flying Latrine" has been used to describe an unsanitary practice in some urban slums in Africa. With no running water or sewer systems, a person may resort to using a plastic bag
as a container for excrement, then throw or sling the bag as far away as possible. This practice has led to the banning of the manufacture and import of such bags in Uganda
, Kenya
, and Tanzania
.
In locations with no functioning toilets latrines or trench toilets are typically set up for use by groups of men and/or women. They typically consists of pits or trenchs, 4 feet (1.2 m) to 5 feet (1.5 m) deep and 4 feet (1.2 m) to 20 feet (6.1 m) long, dug into the ground. Many Army units, of they stayed in one location long, had primitive shelters and seating arrangements arranged over the pits. The pits are typically kept well away from any water sources to minimize possible disease transmission. After extended use the pits were typically filled in. In the Army
each company typically had two soldiers assigned as sanitary personnel (usually personnel who had broke the rules) whose job it was to keep the latrines in good condition. Each Army unit was supposed to fill in its latrines and dig a new one for new arrivals. The use of latrines were a major advance in sanitation
over more primitive "every man for himself" sanitation practices and helped control the spread of many diseases. Up to about 1920, when better sanitation practices were adopted, many more soldiers died of disease than from wounds.
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
s which may be simple pit toilet
Pit toilet
A pit toilet is a dry toilet system which collects human excrement in a large container and range from a simple slit trench to more elaborate systems with ventilation. They are more often used in rural and wilderness areas as well as in much of the developing world...
s or in the case of the United States Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
(or more specifically, the US Army and US air force) any toilet
Toilet
A toilet is a sanitation fixture used primarily for the disposal of human excrement, often found in a small room referred to as a toilet/bathroom/lavatory...
including modern flush toilet
Flush toilet
A flush toilet is a toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location. Flushing mechanisms are found more often on western toilets , but many squat toilets also are made for automated flushing...
s. The term is derived from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
lavatrina meaning bath.
Types
Ecological sanitation
Ecological sanitation, also known as ecosan or eco-san, are terms coined to describe a form of sanitation that usually involves urine diversion and the recycling of water and nutrients contained within human wastes back into the local environment....
(EcoSan).
Pit toilet
Pit toilet
A pit toilet is a dry toilet system which collects human excrement in a large container and range from a simple slit trench to more elaborate systems with ventilation. They are more often used in rural and wilderness areas as well as in much of the developing world...
s are the simplest and cheapest type, minimally defined as a hole in the ground. More sophisticated pit toiles may include a floor plate, a waterproof liner for the pit to avoid contamination of the water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
or ventilation to reduce odor
Odor
An odor or odour is caused by one or more volatilized chemical compounds, generally at a very low concentration, that humans or other animals perceive by the sense of olfaction. Odors are also commonly called scents, which can refer to both pleasant and unpleasant odors...
and fly
Fly
True flies are insects of the order Diptera . They possess a pair of wings on the mesothorax and a pair of halteres, derived from the hind wings, on the metathorax...
/mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
breeding. Other technologies may be used including Reed Odourless Earth Closet (ROEC)
Reed Odourless Earth Closet (ROEC)
The Reed odourless earth closet is a variation on the ventilated improved pit toilet where the pit is fully off-set from the Outhouse and is connected to the squatting plate by a curved chute....
or Composting toilet
Composting toilet
A composting toilet is a dry toilet that using a predominantly aerobic processing system that treats excreta, typically with no water or small volumes of flush water, via composting or managed aerobic decomposition...
s, Pour-Flush Latrine, popularized by Sulabh International
Sulabh International
Sulabh International is an Indian based social service organization which works to promote human rights, environmental sanitation, non-conventional sources of energy, waste management and social reforms through education. The organization counts 50,000 volunteers. Sulabh International is the...
, Cistern-Flush Toilet, Bucket Latrine or Pour-Flush Toilet and Vault.
The term "Flying Latrine" has been used to describe an unsanitary practice in some urban slums in Africa. With no running water or sewer systems, a person may resort to using a plastic bag
Plastic bag
A plastic bag, polybag, or pouch is a type of packaging made of thin, flexible, plastic film, nonwoven fabric, or plastic textile. Plastic bags are used for containing and transporting goods such as foods, produce, powders, ice, magazines, comic books, chemicals and waste.Most plastic bags are...
as a container for excrement, then throw or sling the bag as far away as possible. This practice has led to the banning of the manufacture and import of such bags in Uganda
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
, and Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
.
In locations with no functioning toilets latrines or trench toilets are typically set up for use by groups of men and/or women. They typically consists of pits or trenchs, 4 feet (1.2 m) to 5 feet (1.5 m) deep and 4 feet (1.2 m) to 20 feet (6.1 m) long, dug into the ground. Many Army units, of they stayed in one location long, had primitive shelters and seating arrangements arranged over the pits. The pits are typically kept well away from any water sources to minimize possible disease transmission. After extended use the pits were typically filled in. In the Army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
each company typically had two soldiers assigned as sanitary personnel (usually personnel who had broke the rules) whose job it was to keep the latrines in good condition. Each Army unit was supposed to fill in its latrines and dig a new one for new arrivals. The use of latrines were a major advance in sanitation
Sanitation
Sanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Hazards can be either physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can cause health problems are human and animal feces, solid wastes, domestic...
over more primitive "every man for himself" sanitation practices and helped control the spread of many diseases. Up to about 1920, when better sanitation practices were adopted, many more soldiers died of disease than from wounds.