Poop Makes Ereybody Sick
Human waste can have a number of negative effects on the environment if it is not properly managed. One of the main concerns is the potential for disease transmission. Human waste can contain a variety of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites, that can cause illnesses if they come into contact with people or animals. So let’s deal with this crap.
Human Waste Impact on the Environment
Incorrectly disposed of human waste can carry a variety of diseases and pathogens, including:
Gastrointestinal illnesses: such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Shigella, which can cause symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.
Parasitic infections: such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium, which can cause intestinal distress and other symptoms.
Viral infections: such as Norovirus and Hepatitis A, which can cause liver inflammation and other symptoms.
Bacterial infections: such as Cholera, which can cause severe dehydration and other symptoms.
In order to prevent the spread of these diseases, it is important to properly contain, transport, and treat human waste to minimize the risk of exposure to these pathogens.
Another concern is the potential for pollution of water sources including the river that you’re running and drinking from. If human waste is not properly managed, those pathogens can seep into groundwater or nearby surface water, contaminating it. This can make you sick if you drink unfiltered water in adverse environments where you need to be in top physical shape to function. Additionally, human waste can also contribute to an overgrowth of algae, leading to low oxygen levels in the water, killing fish and other aquatic life.
In wilderness areas, improperly disposed human waste can also have an impact on the natural ecosystem. Improper disposal can lead to soil and vegetation damage, as well as attract wildlife to the area in search of food, leading to increased human-wildlife conflicts. Also, it just looks nasty rolling up to a put in seeing piles of poop and used toilet paper.
For multiday trips
Arguably the worst possible and most likely environment in which illness for human waste can affect boaters is during multi day trips. On multidays you are particularly exposed since help is a long way away and being in an austere environment is already uncomfortable not to mention how unpleasant it is for the team member who is sick with some sort of poop passed pathogen.
In order to prevent the spread of poopy pathogens, it is important to practice good hygiene, including frequent hand washing, and to avoid sharing utensils, food, or drinks with others. In addition, proper sanitation and cleaning of contaminated surfaces is essential to help reduce the risk of human waste transmission. Surfaces are easy to contaminate especially if your groover is improperly sealed or you come to a campsite where you may not know that someone pooped. Some tips for managing your poop include:
Having a solid groover system that seals properly and double checking that the canister is sealed prior to rigging. Additionally, if you have a spill make sure you have some way for dealing with it like carrying additional trash bags.
Carry a redundant toilet system like wag bags and have a secondary way to seal the poop away while it is on the raft.
Making sure you have plenty of hand sanitizer and handwash stations available at every meal.
Get a filter bottle. These bottles are practically made for boaters since of any outdoor adventurers out there we are never a t a loss for water. Having a filter bottle and a back up filter for the group is a great way to ensure redundancy on the multi day trip.
Carry some additional stomach medication to help deal with diarrhea and clogged pipes as well as medications that can handle upset stomachs or vomiting. Once someone is infected with a pathogen it can also be transmitted via other means to the rest of the group.
Make sure you understand quarantine procedures including having a quarantine boat and how to deal with the sick person.
