Many of the places we camp are blessed with sanitation facilities; however that is not always the case. Getting rid of waste outdoors takes some thought for both health and environmental reasons.
A cathole is a single use toilet that you make yourself. Find a spot at least 200 feet from water, campsites, and trails. Dig a hole 6-8 inches deep. Make sure it is still in the topsoil so that organisms in the topsoil will be available to break down your waste. Either bury the toilet paper in the cathole, or put it into a resealable bag and carry it out with the rest of your trash. Fill the cathole with soil (organic organisms) and replace any groundcover (leaves.....). Push a stick into the filled up hole to warn others against digging in the same spot. We are trying to avoid damaging the existing plants, changing the terrain, or negatively impacting the chemistry of an area (too much urea kills).
A latrine is a group toilet. The location should also be away from water, campsites and trails. Dig a shallow trench 3-4 feet long but no deeper than the topsoil. Remove and save the soil and groundcover. After each use, sprinkle a layer of soil into the trench to keep away flies and to hold down odors. When you break up camp, return the rest of the soil to the latrine and replace the ground cover.
Sources:
Camping, BSA 2002 printing
