Environmental sanitation aims to improve the environment and reduce disease. Water and waste management, pollution control, and noise reduction are all part of it. Proper disposal of household and industrial waste, clean water supply, and reducing air pollution are ways to improve health. WHO provides guidelines for effective environmental hygiene programs.
Environmental sanitation is a set of actions aimed at improving the quality of the environment and reducing the quantity of diseases. By doing so, the hope is that living conditions will improve and health problems will decrease. The management of water, solid waste and industrial waste, as well as the subject of pollution and noise control, all fall within the scope of environmental sanitation.
Water management
Water supply can have a direct impact on pollution and the spread of disease. The most common sources of water are groundwater and surface water; the main sources of groundwater are generally wells and springs, while surface waters come from freshwater sources such as lakes and rivers. Both require treatment before being consumed because various chemicals, particles and biological contaminants, such as bacteria, can enter the water.
Many developed countries have water treatment plants where drinking water is cleaned of dirt and particles, disinfected and stored until needed. This water can be run through pipes directly to homes and businesses. Other water treatment methods include boiling it or treating it with chemicals to kill harmful bacteria.
In addition to other sources, water can be contaminated by household waste and human waste. If waste is not disposed of properly, it can mix with ground water or surface water that may be collected for drinking and cooking. When people drink contaminated water, they can spread disease or even cause new outbreaks.
Waste management
The environmental conditions of a given area can be influenced by waste management, the process used to dispose of waste. The way waste is disposed of varies according to the living conditions and accepted standard of living in a geographical area. While some communities provide wastewater treatment and garbage collection, others do not, which reduces the ability to control the well-being of the environment and its people. When waste is not removed and treated properly, pollution can lead to the spread of disease; when proper disposal and treatment methods are followed, disease and pollution can generally be reduced.
Solid waste management
Every day, people throw away a large amount of waste, which is usually referred to as solid waste. Some form of solid waste management system has been put in place in many countries. Some common ways to dispose of trash include incarceration, which is the burning of waste, or landfills, which are places to store waste. In the US and Europe, both of these methods are commonly used to handle solid waste.
Industrial waste management
Environmental sanitation is not limited to water pollution and improper disposal of household waste. When factories or businesses dispose of chemical and physical waste in ways that directly affect the environment, this is often referred to as industrial pollution. For example, while the actual landfill may be several miles away from a major water source, drainage and rainfall can cause chemicals and physical wastes to mix with the water supply and pollution. Some countries have developed a system to properly dispose of industrial waste and help protect the environment; as with household waste, some of these systems incorporate incarceration and landfills into their management strategies.
Air pollution and noise control
Another factor of a healthy environment is air pollution; many studies have demonstrated the negative effects of air pollution on the environment. Air pollution can also affect a person’s ability to breathe, which can potentially increase the number of lung and heart problems in members of a community. Irritating and excessive noise in the environment can also cause anxiety attacks or lead to distractions, among other things, which can lead to accidents and other potentially dangerous situations.
Ways to help
There are several ways you can help keep the environment clean and help improve people’s overall health:
Individuals should avoid wasting water. They can do this by taking shorter showers, not letting the water run, and using only as much water as needed.
People should recycle as much as possible to reduce waste. Many major cities offer recycling of plastic, paper and glass products.
Individuals can walk, cycle or carpool to reduce air pollution.
Each person can educate others about ways to help improve the environment.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are four areas that need to be reviewed for environmental sanitation to be effective: planning, water supply, sanitation and hygiene education. WHO offers guidelines for these steps on its website to help implement nationwide environmental hygiene programs and improve overall health.
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