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| Trail and Camp Sanitation |
The principal elements of camp sanitation are personal cleanliness; safe drinking water; food care and
preparation; dishwashing; disposal of wastewater, garbage, and trash; and latrines.
Personal Cleanliness
- Soap and water scrubbing is important before cooking, handling of eating utensils, eating, and after using toilets.
- A lightweight plastic washbasin should be standard personal equipment.
- Streams and lakes should never be used for soap washing.
- Dry aired-out sleeping gear aids a warm night's sleep. Turn bedding inside out and air daily weather permitting.
Safe Drinking Water
- You must know the water to be safe or take necessary steps to make it safe to drink.
- All water should be considered unsafe for drinking, unless it comes from a recognized or tested water system.
- If there is any question, boil or treat it with water purification tablets to be sure.
BOILING - bring water to a rolling boil and maintain the boil for five minutes and aerate to improve taste
PURIFYING - tablets should be fresh, follow directions on container.
Food Handlers and Storage
- Cooks must always wash hands before starting meal preparation and during cooking if hands get soiled.
- Always wash hands after using the latrine.
- Prevent food contamination. Protect foods from dirt, water, tainting from soap, oils, and odoriferous foods.
- Never save leftovers, eat it up when served or throw it away.
- Avoid using foods needing refrigeration. If perishables are used; buy as late as possible and use them up quickly.
- Animal and insect foragers can be problems. Avoid feeding them intentionally or accidentally. Maintain clean camp.
- Keep all foodstuffs out of tents and packs. Even if packed in original wrappers.
Dishwashing
- Dishwashing is a four-part operation.
SCRAPING - scrape dishes thoroughly. Use napkin from meal to wipe plate and utensils after scraping.
WASH - wash with good detergent in clean hot water (112° F). Hot water is needed to break down the grease.
RINSE - in clean warm water. Main purpose is to remove the soap or detergent.
SANITIZE - Immerse utensils for several seconds in boiling water or for 30 seconds in hot water (180° F)
- Allow dishes and utensils to air-dry. If sanitized at prescribed temperature they will dry in about a minute.
- Dishwashing sanitizing tablets may be used, follow package directions.
- If cooking on open fire, soap outside of pots prior to use; it makes the clean up easier.
- Store all cooking and eating gear in a fly proof place; bag, box or plastic bags after each use.
- Clean up fireplaces, stoves, and police the area.
- Clean and put away all dishwashing equipment in a place where it will dry out thoroughly.
Garbage and Trash Disposal
- In developed camps use disposal systems provided after every meal.
- In back woods camps you have to haul it out. DO NOT BURY any trash.
- You can burn everything that will burn to reduce the hauling.
Waste Water Disposal
- Carefully screen out all food particles before disposing of the dishwater.
- Use trash disposal system provided or in the backwoods burn or haul out these particles.
- After the screening, wash water should be scattered evenly across the ground.
- Never pour wash water in streams or lakes
Latrines
- In developed camps use the facilities provided
- Latrines should be the only hole you make at a campsite. They should be limited to long-term camps.
- Should be at least 100 feet from campsite away from streams, springs, or lakes to avoid drainage pollution.
- When breaking camp, close with subsoil from fireplace hearth and also ashes and charred wood to fill trench.
- Replace original topsoil and leave trench slightly mounded.
preparation; dishwashing; disposal of wastewater, garbage, and trash; and latrines.
Personal Cleanliness
- Soap and water scrubbing is important before cooking, handling of eating utensils, eating, and after using toilets.
- A lightweight plastic washbasin should be standard personal equipment.
- Streams and lakes should never be used for soap washing.
- Dry aired-out sleeping gear aids a warm night's sleep. Turn bedding inside out and air daily weather permitting.
Safe Drinking Water
- You must know the water to be safe or take necessary steps to make it safe to drink.
- All water should be considered unsafe for drinking, unless it comes from a recognized or tested water system.
- If there is any question, boil or treat it with water purification tablets to be sure.
BOILING - bring water to a rolling boil and maintain the boil for five minutes and aerate to improve taste
PURIFYING - tablets should be fresh, follow directions on container.
Food Handlers and Storage
- Cooks must always wash hands before starting meal preparation and during cooking if hands get soiled.
- Always wash hands after using the latrine.
- Prevent food contamination. Protect foods from dirt, water, tainting from soap, oils, and odoriferous foods.
- Never save leftovers, eat it up when served or throw it away.
- Avoid using foods needing refrigeration. If perishables are used; buy as late as possible and use them up quickly.
- Animal and insect foragers can be problems. Avoid feeding them intentionally or accidentally. Maintain clean camp.
- Keep all foodstuffs out of tents and packs. Even if packed in original wrappers.
Dishwashing
- Dishwashing is a four-part operation.
SCRAPING - scrape dishes thoroughly. Use napkin from meal to wipe plate and utensils after scraping.
WASH - wash with good detergent in clean hot water (112° F). Hot water is needed to break down the grease.
RINSE - in clean warm water. Main purpose is to remove the soap or detergent.
SANITIZE - Immerse utensils for several seconds in boiling water or for 30 seconds in hot water (180° F)
- Allow dishes and utensils to air-dry. If sanitized at prescribed temperature they will dry in about a minute.
- Dishwashing sanitizing tablets may be used, follow package directions.
- If cooking on open fire, soap outside of pots prior to use; it makes the clean up easier.
- Store all cooking and eating gear in a fly proof place; bag, box or plastic bags after each use.
- Clean up fireplaces, stoves, and police the area.
- Clean and put away all dishwashing equipment in a place where it will dry out thoroughly.
Garbage and Trash Disposal
- In developed camps use disposal systems provided after every meal.
- In back woods camps you have to haul it out. DO NOT BURY any trash.
- You can burn everything that will burn to reduce the hauling.
Waste Water Disposal
- Carefully screen out all food particles before disposing of the dishwater.
- Use trash disposal system provided or in the backwoods burn or haul out these particles.
- After the screening, wash water should be scattered evenly across the ground.
- Never pour wash water in streams or lakes
Latrines
- In developed camps use the facilities provided
- Latrines should be the only hole you make at a campsite. They should be limited to long-term camps.
- Should be at least 100 feet from campsite away from streams, springs, or lakes to avoid drainage pollution.
- When breaking camp, close with subsoil from fireplace hearth and also ashes and charred wood to fill trench.
- Replace original topsoil and leave trench slightly mounded.
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Credits: Boy Scout Handbook Copyright 1998 by the Boy Scouts of America Field Book Copyright 1967, 1984 by the Boy Scouts of America Okpik: Cold-Weather Camping Copyright 1990 by the Boy Scouts of America OA Guide to Winter Camping Copyright 1995 Rick Curtis, Outdoor Action Program, Princeton University |