Ready For Unsteady

Ready For Unsteady logo – emergency preparedness for everyday life
Ready For Unsteady logo – emergency preparedness for everyday life

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Waste Management

When the trash truck stops coming and the toilet won’t flush, waste becomes more than just an inconvenience, it becomes a health hazard.

Whether you’re sheltering at home during a storm or navigating a longer disruption, managing both garbage and human waste safely is crucial to staying healthy, minimizing odor, and avoiding pests.

 

  • Reduce: Minimize waste by avoiding unnecessary consumption, especially of single-use items.
  • Reuse: Repurpose containers, bags, and other materials whenever possible.
  • Recycle: Create a home recycling center. Sort items such as paper, plastic, glass, metal, and store in designated containers until you can find a suitable disposal or reuse method.

 

  • Separate waste: Categorize waste into biodegradable, recyclable, and non-recyclable items.
  • Store waste securely: Keep waste in airtight containers to prevent odors and attract pests.
  • Temporary disposal: If local authorities provide guidance, follow their instructions for temporary waste disposal.

 

  • Composting: If you have a garden or outdoor space, start a compost pile for food scraps and yard waste.
  • Avoid excess food: Plan meals carefully to minimize leftovers.
  • Store food properly: Even without refrigeration, certain foods can be preserved for longer periods if stored correctly.

Managing Human Waste -
Short-Term

IMPORTANT: Remember the three F’s: Food, Flies, Feces – keep your food storage/prep area far away as possible as your bathroom area. Ensure waste stays covered to avoid flies – flies landing on feces, and then food will spread disease. Keep all human waste covered as best as possible.

 

This involves collecting human waste in a bucket (ideally with a tightly sealed lid) and disposing of it in a designated area. Sawdust, ash, or cat litter can be used after each contribution to mitigate smell and avoid insects.

  • Convert a small or medium sized trash can by adding a toilet seat lid.
  • Line with bags and absorbent material.
  • Easy to make with things already in your home.
  • Use heavy-duty plastic bags (contractor-grade or double-bagged trash bags) with absorbent material (gel powder, kitty litter, or sawdust).
  • Place inside a small trash can or use standalone.
  • Tie off and dispose of properly when services resume.
  • Use a commode chair, walker, or shower stool over a lined bucket or bag.
  • Ideal for elderly or people with mobility challenges.
  • Use a funnel or cut-off jug to collect urine separately (which can be diluted and poured outside).
  • Solids go in a lined container with sawdust or dry carbon-rich material.
  • Reduces smell and makes waste easier to manage and eventually compost.
  • Dig a hole 6–8 inches deep and at least 200 feet from water sources.
  • Best for individual use; can be covered after each use with soil.
  • For families, a trench toilet (a narrow ditch used over several days) may be more efficient.
  • Not ideal in urban areas or during freezing weather.
  • Absorbent material: kitty litter, sawdust, peat moss, dry leaves, or gel powder
  • Heavy-duty trash bags or commercial waste bags
  • Handwashing station (soap + water or sanitizer)
  • Bleach or disinfectant
  • Privacy solution (tent, tarp, curtain)

Managing Human Waste -
Long-Term

Composting toilets use a natural process to decompose human waste into a nutrient-rich soil. They require minimal water, produce a valuable fertilizer, and can be relatively easy to maintain. Proper ventilation and maintenance are essential to prevent odors and health hazards.

 

Incineration toilets use heat to burn human waste, reducing it to ash. They require no water and can be used in remote or off-grid locations. They can be expensive to purchase and operate, and may require specialized venting to prevent emissions.

UDDTs separate urine from solid waste. Urine can be collected and treated separately, often through evaporation or absorption. The solid waste can be composted. More efficient than bucket toilets and can produce valuable fertilizer.

Breaks down human waste (and other organic waste) in an oxygen-free environment, producing biogas (methane) and a liquid byproduct (can be used as fertilizer after treatment).