Burying Health Care Waste 439
How to make a waste pit with a concrete cover
This kind of pit is best used only for infectious waste and not for regular garbage.
➊ Dig a pit 1 to 2 meters wide and 2 to 5 meters deep. The bottom of the pit should
be at least 1½ meters above the highest level of groundwater (water table).
➋ Line the bottom of the pit with a layer of clay at least 30 cm thick.
➌ Build up a ridge of earth around the top of the
pit to prevent surface water from running in.
➍ Build a fence around the area where the pit is
located to keep children safe and animals out.
Each time waste is put in the pit, cover the waste
with 10 cm of soil, or a mix of soil and lime. Lime helps disinfect the waste, and will
also keep animals away.
When the waste rises to ½ meter from the surface, cover it with ½ meter of soil and
seal it with a layer of concrete at least 10 to 30 centimeters thick.
How to seal sharps in containers with concrete
Place disinfected sharps and sharps containers in a hard container
such as a metal drum. When the container is mostly full (¾), add a
mixture of 1 part cement, 1 part lime, 4 parts sand, and 1/3 to ½ part
water. Lime works as a disinfectant, and it also helps the cement
flow into empty spaces to completely surround the waste. Seal
the container and bury it in a trench or landfill.
Disposing of liquid waste
Many health centers pour bleach, contaminated water, or other liquids
from the health center down a drain. This is only safe if the drain does not
lead to a stream or other water source. Dilute the liquid with a lot of water
before dumping it. To protect water sources, it is better to put used bleach
and other liquids into a safe leach pit. Chemicals such as glutaraldehyde and
formaldehyde should be treated before disposal (see page 440).
To build a safe leach pit
In a place where the ground does not flood, and far
from waterways and wells, dig a pit ½ meter to 1 meter deep.
In the bottom of the pit, put a layer of sand a few centimeters
deep. Then put a layer of gravel a few centimeters deep, and a
layer of larger stones on top. Put a cover on the pit to prevent
rainwater from getting in.
A Community Guide to Environmental Health 2012