The systems, practices, and infrastructure used to safely manage human waste and maintain conditions that reduce exposure to disease-causing contaminants.
Sanitation includes the safe collection, containment, treatment, and disposal or reuse of human excreta, as well as related practices that help prevent contamination of water, food, and the environment. Toilets and sewage systems are important components, but sanitation is broader than simply having a toilet. Poor sanitation can increase exposure to infectious agents and contribute to diseases transmitted through contaminated water, food, hands, soil, or other environmental pathways.
QUICK FACT
Sanitation is not the same as hygiene. Sanitation primarily concerns systems and conditions for safely managing waste and preventing contamination, while hygiene includes personal practices such as handwashing.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
Hygiene: personal and environmental practices that maintain cleanliness and reduce transmission of infectious agents; sanitation provides the infrastructure and systems that help make those practices possible.
SEE ALSO
