Sanitation in Emergencies
Detailed information on Sanitation in Emergencies, including sections on excreta disposal, waste management, and reports on new projects, upcoming and previous workshops.
Latest news
An Emergency Sanitation Workshop took place in the Netherlands on 12-13 February 2009. A number of organisations took part including Oxfam, Waste Netherlands, IWA, GTZ, CARE, ACF, MSF, IFRC, ETC, Red R, SARAR, and a number of independents. Read about the outputs from the workshop
A new Technical Briefing Note on 'Urine Diversion and Composting Toilets in Emergencies' has just been drafted. We'd very much like to hear your thoughts on this TBN, and to hear about your experiences with UD and composting toilets in emergencies. Read more about the UD and composting toilets initiative
Gaza Crisis 2009: Read more about a waste management needs assessment in response to the Gaza Crisis, undertaken by Disaster Waste Recovery (DWR)
Read more about Oxfam's work on designing a rapid and lightweight superstructure for latrines in emergencies
Read about recent developments in Indonesia with the Manual Desludging Hand Pump (MDHP)
Read some research into extending the life of latrine pits by LSHTM. Background to the research on extending the life of latrines
International Year of Sanitation
The International Year of Sanitation has now ended, but an estimated 2.6 billion people still remain without proper sanitation facilities worldwide.
You might also want to take a look at this sanitation blog by Duncan Mara, very interesting: Duncan Mara's Blog
Oxfam's Technical Briefing Notes Series
See finalised versions of the waste management Technical Briefing Notes (TBNs) and check progress on the 'Contracting out' TBN.
Learn more
More information about sanitation in emergencies :
Update on waste management TBNs
A series of four technical briefs on waste management in emergencies have now been reviewed and completed. They are available for download from the Technical Briefing Notes section of the website.
A technical brief on 'Contracting out Engineering Works in Emergencies' is in the process of being finalised, and will be presented at the forthcoming HLF in August 2008. As part of this work, the Oxfam legal team is drawing up a standard works contract format, with support from PHE and Logistics.
Technical Briefing Notes on Waste Management in Emergencies
Four Technical Briefing Notes, produced as a collaborative initiative between Oxfam GB, Disaster Waste Recovery (DWR), and Golders UK have now been completed and are available to view from the links below.
The Technical Briefs cover the following emergency waste management topics:
- Domestic and refugee camp waste (428B pdf)
- Composting and recycling in emergencies (363KB pdf)
- Large scale environmental clean-up campaigns (302KB pdf)
- Hazardous waste (119KB pdf)
If you would like to contribute case studies on waste management issues, or if you have any further information that you think would be useful, please contact:
Tim Forster
Public Health Engineering - Capacity Building
Oxfam GB
Oxford, UK
Email: tforster@oxfam.org.uk
Technical Briefing Note on Contracting Out Engineering Works in Emergencies
“Introduction to Contracting Out PH Engineering Works & Contract Management” provides an overview of the key peculiarities of managing construction contracts in the emergency context.
The document does not aim to provide tools for the direct implementation of projects or enforce new procedures but rather to stimulate awareness on the risks and peculiarities of construction activities in developing countries.
Although this document is aimed at Oxfam staff, we would very much welcome feedback and advise from field workers with other organisations. Eventually, it is hoped to link the Technical Briefing Note to another Intranet or Internet website containing standard contract and other useful forms and documents.
Technical Briefing Note on Contracting Out Engineering Works in Emergencies (157KB pdf)
Excreta disposal in emergencies manual
The joint inter-agency project to produce a manual dedicated to excreta disposal in emergencies was started in 2003 and involved Oxfam, IFRC, UNHCR and UNICEF. The manual was published in May 2007, and is now availab le through WEDC bookshop or through ITDG Publishing.
Background information on the project
The new manual provides practical guidance on how to select, design, construct and maintain appropriate excreta disposal systems in typical emergency situations. The manual is available as a formal publication in A5 format, and is accompanied by a CD-ROM.
How to obtain a copy of the manual
The EDIE manual was recently launched at the recent at the third Emergency Environmental Health Forum held in the Delft.
The manual is printed and published by Practical Action Publishing in May 2007 and is now available to order online through WEDC bookshop.
Projects and Workshops
An Emergency Sanitation Workshop took place in the Netherlands on 12-13 February 2009. A number of organisations took part inlvuding Oxfam, Waste Netherlands, IWA, GTZ, CARE, ACF, MSF, IFRC, ETC, Red R, SARAR, and a number of independents. Read about the outputs from the workshop
Upcoming sanitation workshops and conferences globally
| Forum | Location | Dates |
| Sanitation Forum – Weapon against cholera | Johannesburg, South Africa | 28-29 May'09 |
| Dry Toilet 2009, 3rd International Dry Toilet Conference | Tampere, Finland | 12-15 Aug'09 |
| World Water Week | Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), Stockholm, Sweden | 16-23 Aug'09 |
| West Africa Regional Sanitation and Hygiene Symposium | Accra, Ghana | 10-12 Nov'09 |
International Sanitation Workshop, Oxford, September 2007
In September 2007 Oxfam hosted an International Sanitation Workshop in Oxford. The workshop's main objective was to share knowledge on current trends in excreta disposal, in the lead up to the 2008 UN Year of Sanitation.
