the 1960s. Twentieth-century books report that similar systems were in operation in parts of France and elsewhere in continental Europe. In Germany, bucket toilets were used by workers in some mines up to the 20th century. The system of municipal collection was widespread in Australia; "dunny cans" persisted well into the second half of the twentieth century. Because the population was so dispersed, it was difficult to install sewerage. Tar, creosote, and disinfectant kept the smell down. Academic George Seddon claimed that "the typical Australian back yard in the cities and country towns" had, throughout the first half of the twentieth century, "a dunny against the back fence, so that the pan could be collected from the dunny lane through a trap-door" Armies used to use "thunderboxes" or portable latrines. Examples Ghana Bucket latrines were used extensively in the Kumasi Metropolis of Ghana since colonial times. They are still used in some households in the metropolis. Since the mid-1980s, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has actively discouraged bucket latrines and has stopped the emptying services that was provided by the assembly. Kenya In the region of Wajir, few residents have access to improved sanitation. Because of the high water table, pit latrines are impossible to use, and instead bucket toilets are common. By the time the waste collectors come, the bucket toilets are often already overflowing. These unhygienic circumstances can lead to frequent outbreaks of diarrhea. Namibia Due to high poverty, some inhabitants still use bucket toilets. United States Bucket toilets are common in many rural villages in the state of Alaska, such as those in the Bethel area of the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta, and are found throughout the rural regions of the state. Bucket toilets are used especially where permafrost makes the installation of septic systems or outhouses impractical. Bucket toilets are promoted for cases of emergency, especially in regions with risk of earthquakes. Canada They were also relatively common in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut of Canada, but by now they have mostly been replaced with indoor plumbing and sewage pump-out tanks. They are still found in summer cabins where the use of a sewage tank is impractical. South Africa In South Africa, bucket toilets – frequently referred to as the "bucket system" – are still used in 2016 in some low-income communities as a relic of the Apartheid era. During that era, the poor, predominantly black townships generally