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ASSOCIATIONINSIGHT
Portable Sanitation Association International News
BIWEEKLY EDITION MARCH 18, 2020
Portable Sanitation and COVID-19—The Latest …continued from page 1
Continued on page 3
According to CCDC:
"These results confirm that COVID-19 patients have live virus in
stool specimens, which is a new finding in the transmission routes of
2019-nCoV. In addition to close contact and contact with respiratory
secretions of patients, the virus can also be transmitted through
the potential fecal-oral route. This means that stool samples may
contaminate hands, food, water, etc., and may cause infection by
invading the oral cavity, respiratory mucosa, conjunctiva, etc. This
virus has many routes of transmission, which can partially explain its
strong transmission and fast transmission speed. "
1
These findings supplement what we already knew. The virus lives a
long time outside the human body and can be transmitted easily.
What is new in this finding is that workers pumping human waste can
possibly ingest the virus if, while pumping, fecal matter becomes
airborne and is inhaled or ingested. This risk is in addition to the
already-known risks of becoming infected by getting the virus on a
hand or face and then into the mouth. To counter these risks the PSAI
strongly advises:
• All workers who are pumping units should wear face masks or face
shields while cleaning as well as the regular minimum PPE of hard
hats, waterproof gloves, boots with steel or composite toes, and
eye protection.
• All hard hats, gloves, and eye/face protection should be sanitized
daily with solutions of bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or other
approved cleaners. (See page 3.)
• The compartments in/on trucks where gloves are stored between
uses should be sanitized at least daily with one of these cleaning
solutions.
• As usual, gloves worn while cleaning hand wash stations and
portable restrooms should be different (2 pair minimum) and
stored separately to avoid cross-contamination.
• Clothing worn while cleaning portable units should be removed
and laundered immediately. (See sidebar for laundering tips.)
Effective Cleaning Products and Durations
The PSAI has previously issued guidance on cleaning products.
See the March 4 issue of Association Insight for details. In addition
to this, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have now issued a more
comprehensive list of cleaners and the duration of time they must be
used to kill COVID-19. Download it here.
1 China CDC Weekly, "Notes from the Field: Isolation of 2019-nCoV from a Stool
Specimen of a Laboratory-Confirmed Case of the Coronavirus Disease 2019
(COVID-19)"
A virus particle with typical morphology of
coronavirus was observed using electron microscopy
after inoculating stool suspension into Vero cells.
Laundering Clothing Worn While
Cleaning Portable Units
Do not wear clothes worn while cleaning
portable units in public areas or for
multiple days. Take precautions so that
whatever gets on the clothing—whether
it's COVID-19 or anything else—is not
transferred to furniture, upholstery, or
other surfaces. The CDC recommends the
following laundry procedures:
• Use gloves when handling dirty
laundry, or be sure to wash hands
afterwards.
• Do not shake dirty laundry. This will
minimize the possibility of dispersing
virus through the air.
• Launder items in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions.
• Launder items using the warmest
appropriate water setting for the items
and dry them completely. A portable
sanitation worker's clothes can be
washed with other people's items.
• If the laundry is not done right away,
clean and disinfect the clothes hamper
according to the PSAI's guidance for
surfaces. If possible, place a bag liner
that is either disposable or can be
laundered inside the hamper.
