Packing out human waste is not extreme. In many Australian environments, it is now the responsible standard, and once you understand why, it stops feeling like overkill and starts feeling like the obvious choice. Alpine plateaus, arid landscapes, fragile coastal tracks and heavily used backcountry routes do not have the soil depth, temperature or biological activity required to break down human pathogens effectively, so burial in these areas often results in contamination, wildlife disturbance and visible waste emerging months or years later.
If we expect wild places to remain wild, cumulative impact has to be addressed directly, and packing out solid human waste is one of the most effective ways I know to do that.
Why burial is often not enough
Traditional catholes were once considered sufficient in most environments, but increased visitation has changed the equation. Human faeces contain bacteria and pathogens that are not naturally present in wilderness ecosystems, and when waste is buried in shallow, cold or heavily compacted soils, decomposition is slow and incomplete. Heavy rain can expose buried waste before it has had any real chance to break down. In high-use areas, the result is predictable: visible contamination and degraded campsites.
Pathogens don’t stay neatly contained either. In sandy or arid soils, such as those found in Central Australia or on many coastal tracks, pathogens can migrate further through porous substrates than they would in dense clay-based soils, which increases the risk of groundwater and surface water contamination, particularly after rainfall events. In fragile environments, burial isn’t really a low-impact solution any more. It’s a delayed one.
That’s why packing out waste is strongly recommended, and sometimes required, in:
- Alpine and subalpine areas
- Arid and desert regions
- High-use coastal tracks
- Heavily trafficked multi-day routes
- Areas with thin, rocky or waterlogged soils
Professional practice is shifting toward “pack it out unless burial is clearly appropriate”, and I think that’s the right direction. Increasingly, experienced hikers treat packing out waste as a mark of competence, not an inconvenience.
How WAG bag systems work
The most practical method is a WAG bag system, which stands for Waste Alleviation and Gelling. A typical system includes:
- An inner waste bag containing gelling powder that solidifies liquid and reduces odour
- A heavy-duty outer bag that is puncture-resistant and sealable
After use, you seal the inner bag and place it inside the outer bag, then carry the sealed system out and dispose of it in general landfill waste. Store it inside a dedicated dry bag or rigid container in your pack and leakage risk is negligible. Modern systems are compact, lightweight and designed specifically for backcountry use, and they’re already standard in many alpine and desert regions worldwide.
In the field, move well away from water sources, campsites and tracks before you set up. If you’re new to the process, keep it simple: most backcountry users squat directly over the open bag placed on stable ground. In windy conditions, a small rock in one corner or a stick holding the bag open stops it collapsing. Some people dig a shallow depression purely to stabilise their footing, not to bury anything. WAG systems can also be used over portable toilet seats or buckets in car camping contexts, but on a hike, ground use is the norm.
Once you’re done, seal the inner bag carefully, place it inside the outer puncture-resistant bag, and store it in a dedicated waste pouch separate from food and cooking equipment. Hand hygiene matters here as much as anywhere else on the trail: use sanitiser or wash thoroughly before handling food or water.
For a lot of hikers, the hesitation around this whole process is psychological rather than practical, and I understand that. A simple double-bag method helps: place the sealed WAG bag inside an opaque or duct-tape-wrapped outer bag so the contents aren’t visible, and store it in a separate dry bag clearly designated for waste. Once sealed properly, odour is minimal, because modern systems are engineered specifically to manage containment. The alternative, cumulative contamination of fragile landscapes, is worse than a few seconds of discomfort.
When burial is the only option
There are environments in Australia where soil depth, climate and low visitation make burial acceptable, and if that’s genuinely your only option, do it properly. Select a site at least 100 metres from water, campsites and tracks. Dig a cathole 15 to 20 centimetres deep in biologically active soil. After use, cover it completely with the original soil and restore the surface naturally. All toilet paper must still be packed out. Treat burial as the second option, not the default.
The wider impact
Human waste affects more than aesthetics. It introduces pathogens into ecosystems and it alters animal behaviour. Buried human waste and toilet paper can be disturbed by wildlife, spreading contamination and creating further environmental impact. Even urine has an effect: in alpine and high country environments, feral animals such as deer and brumbies are attracted to the salts in urine and may damage fragile vegetation trying to reach those mineral deposits.
Gastrointestinal illness on the trail is often blamed on untreated water, but poor hand hygiene is also a recognised way it spreads, and I don’t think it’s useful to argue about which one matters more. Treat any water you’re not certain about, and clean your hands thoroughly after toileting and before handling or eating food. Keep your waste system separate from your food preparation area, and treat waste handling as a deliberate, controlled process rather than something to rush.
Managing waste properly is part of travelling responsibly in the backcountry. It reduces contamination, and it’s one less thing to worry about compounding into a bigger problem later in the day.
If solid human waste can’t decompose safely and invisibly within a reasonable timeframe, it should be carried out. That’s really the whole principle. Packing out waste protects water sources, wildlife and soil systems, and it protects the experience of everyone who walks the same track after you.
What are some creative ways you’ve found to make packing out your waste easier and more eco-friendly while camping?
Australian Backcountry Festival covered this topic in a leave no trace / poo tube workshop on the weekend at Mt Hotham. As more & more people venture outdoors year round & into backcountry in winter where digging a hole isn’t as option (snow too deep, ground is frozen & alpine conditions don’t lead to human waste decomposing) it’s imperative this topic is brought to people’s attention & we start following best practice. Awareness & education will hopefully lead to poo tubes, (not for pooing into but for packing out human waste) becoming a standard piece of gear particularly when walking in sensitive environments & where no pit toilets exist. We talk a lot about being light weight, having a great sleep system, water treatment, layering of clothing, footwear, stove & cooking options…we need to add leave no trace etiquette as an equally important topic or better still as an over arching banner and everything we take & do outdoors falls under this LNT header.
Alicia Crossley well said