Can anyone advise as to effective use of lime in the treatment of human waste? In the Midwest, the ground will likely be too cold to dig a trench. I am considering using garbage bags, in a metal can.

I've read that powdered lime is useful to retard bacteria growth, but have no knowledge of how much lime, or even how to apply it.

I spent nearly an hour this afternoon, running internet searches, and could find no answer to my question. I feel like I'm living in one of those 1960's sitcoms, where nobody ever pees or poops.

-- Jim Young (jyoung@famvid.com), November 26, 1999

Answers

Jim-you should consider getting some 55 gal plastic bbls and some sawdust and using that as a pooper. If you can't dig latrine trenches and cover the feces completely you are going to be for much fly(and disease probs) once the weather warms up. I don't think that adding lime alone is going to help you if you can't keep the stuff good and covered-Howie

-- Howie (biggguy79@hotmail.com), November 26, 1999.

Thanks, Howie! Good points! The weather won't warm here until March, and almost certainly no flies till April at the earliest. Most persons won't take any real precautions, anyway, so as far as the neighborhood - well, whatever I do will be a moot issue. I just feel I want to do things as properly as possible, as a temporary measure until the city disposal services are back on line. Hopefully, it won't be needed at all. If it's needed into warm weather, then the problem is gonna be so bad that my little efforts won't count for anything. Thank you for your suggestion! Below is a URL (regarding 'smear' technique preferred to latrines and catholes) provided by a poster on another BB. Thanks, again, Howie!

http://www.gorp.com/nyoutdoors/articles/hygiene.htm

-- Jim Young (jyoung@famvid.com), November 26, 1999.

Just sprinkle the lime over the smelly stuff. Doesn't need to "cover" it. Just a light sprinkling should do it (you'll figure it out). Works for dead critters too. $6/50 lbs. at Home Depot. BTW, get a portable toilet (5 gallon bucket with a toilet lid) and line with a trash bag. My "Luggable Loo" was about $15 at Gart Sports (camping section of any large sporting goods store should do). Good luck.

-- anonymous (anonymous@anonymous.com), November 28, 1999.

Heya, Thanks, Anonymous! EXACTLY what I needed to know! - to a "T". Or maybe I should say, to a "P". Much appreciation! - Jim

-- Jim Young (jyoung@famvid.com), November 28, 1999.

Jim, I'm in a milder climate than you live in, but I have successfully used insulation to keep the ground from thawing when I needed to dig a footing for a house by hand. You might try some 4x4'x3" polystyren board. Weight it down with rocks. I'd expect it to keep the ground thawed down to a very low temp.

Use a posthole digger

ALK

-- Al K. Lloyd (all@ready.now), November 29, 1999.

Thanks, Al! Appreciate your response!

-- Jim Young (jyoung@famvid.com), November 29, 1999.

Try www.y2kkitchen.com. Sally has written a few things about this. I believe she suggests covering with saw dust, lime or peat moss. Also, a book is out there called HOW TO S--- IN THE WOODS. I have not seen it. The Boy Scout Manual also addresses this. Ted Wright says you should not store human waste in plastic bags as it breeds bacteria. Dig your trenches ahead of time before the gound freezes and dig 6" deep or a big hole with an out house on top that is 6' deep. Good luck.

-- Marcy Maguire (clark@charm.net), November 29, 1999.

Thanks, Marcy for your post. And Thanks, JFC, for your email. Much appreciated!

-- Jim Young (jyoung@famvid.com), November 29, 1999.

Dig your hole and build an out house now. You might be surprised how handy it is to use even when you don't have to. Nice to not have to go into the house when you are all dirty from working in the garden. taz

-- Taz (Tassie123@aol.com), December 01, 1999.