Human waste

Human waste is a waste type usually used to refer to byproducts of digestion, such as faeces and urine. Human waste is most often transported as sewage in waste water through sewerage systems. Alternatively it is disposed of in nappies (diapers) in municipal solid waste.

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Human waste can be a serious health hazard, as it is a good vector for both viral and bacterial diseases. A major accomplishment of human civilization has been the reduction of disease transmission via human waste through the practice of hygiene and sanitation, including the development of sewage systems and plumbing.

Human waste can be reduced or reused through use of waterless urinals and composting toilets and greywater. The most common method of waste treatment in rural areas where municipal sewage systems are unavailable is the use of the septic tank systems. In remote rural places without sewage or septic systems, small populations allow for the continued use of "honey buckets" and sewage lagoons (see: anaerobic lagoon) without the threat of disease presented by places with more dense populations. Honey buckets are used by rural villages in Alaska where, due to permafrost, conventional waste treatment systems can not be utilised.

See also

• Humanure
• Blackwater (waste)