Plastic sheeting, use and procurement in humanitarian relief

Plastic sheeting is one of the most widely used and distributed Non food Items in humanitarian relief. It is a highly adaptable material with many uses in many different sectors. This technical brief focuses on when to use, how to use and fix plastic sheeting as well as summarising its procurement.

Needs. no ! What is plastic sheeting? Maintenance. Siting. Do not Plastic sheeting (also known as plastic tarpaulin, start the • Is the construction project necessary? project. tarp, or polythene sheet) is a sheet of strong, • Is there a plan for maintenance / handover? flexible, water resistant or waterproof material. • Are the sites appropriate for the construction? Plastic sheeting suitable for humanitarian relief is yes made from polyethylene. no ! Have you Think considered these Although there are many types of plastic sheeting again. issues? available on the market, not all are suitable for relief • Are more durable building materials available in local markets? distributions on account of their lack of resistance to • Would tents be a more appropriate form of shelter? sunlight or the lack of strength. • Will plastic sheeting provide adequate protection from the weather? • Will plastic sheeting be the only shelter response by your organisation? Standard sheet has a black woven or braided core • Will delivery be in time to meet emergency needs? • Have you included international freight costs in your budgets? and is laminated on both sides. All plastic sheeting • Will the use of plastic sheeting compromise the needs of women and vulnerable individuals? must reach minimum performance standards • Are people likely to sell, rather than use the plastic sheeting? • Would a cash distribution or transitional shelter intervention meet shelter The anticipated lifetime of plastic sheeting is less needs more effectively? than 2 years. It is often used to cover emergency • Where will the materials for the structure come from? • Are other organisations working in the area also planning to distribute the shelter and sanitation needs until more durable same quantities of plastic sheeting? solutions are found. What will Plastic sheeting is not a building solution on its the sheeting be used for? own. It must be combined with local materials and Fencing, shading Latrines, fencing, floors, Window repair tools to provide structure and fixings walls, roofs. etc.

Shade net Standard specification Translucent Standard plastic sheeting Who will be . building with the Outer: sheet of polyethylene lamination sheet plastic sheeting? Beneficiaries Direct build / contractors

Sheets Rolls Inner: woven black ployethylene (Sheets facilitate distribution) (Rolls increase options for construction) 4m x 60m or 4m x 50m as standard Outer: sheet of polyethylene lamination sheet What size sheets do you need? The illustration shows a section of plastic sheet with outer layers peeled away.

4m x 5m 4m x 6m 4m x 7m

Are adequate When to use plastic sheeting fixings available?

Fixings Procure appropriate fixings / or kit of fixings

OXFAM Technical Brief – Plastic sheeting use and procurement in humanitarian relief 1 Using plastic sheeting

Some of the uses of plastic sheeting Example: A very basic plastic sheeting shelter (with Family shelter: no ends) for hot climates. - Basic shelter structures This type of emergency structure is a last resort - Repair of damaged buildings when no other options are possible. It should be - Upgrade of tents and shelters upgraded as soon as possible. - Timber framed shelters Basic structure and fixings Sanitation and water supply: - Timber for ridge pole (4m long) - Latrines - Timber batten for ridge (A.5.1) - Washrooms - Rope (20m) - Protection of water tanks - Nails, 5cm, (2"), (½kg) Infrastructure / other uses: - Nails, 12.5cm, (5"), (½kg) - Fencing - Ground pegs (metal or timber) - Repair of schools and clinics Roof, and / or walls and floor - Temporary structures - Plastic sheeting - Rainwater harvesting - Cholera beds - market stalls - food storage and drying Example: Waterproof covering for a bush pole and grass matting shelter. Using plastic sheeting : Shelter (Design details depend on local construction and materials availability.) Shelter is a habitable, covered living space. Basic structure - quantities dependent on local Shelter is more than just a roof. design: For a space to be habitable, it must offer protection Bush poles - type as used locally from the elements and have access to water and Strong binding wire sanitation. Woven grass mats Oil / diesel - termite treatment Plastic sheet, plus poles and fixings. Roof, and / or floor Various uses of plastic sheeting in kits and basic Plastic sheet shelters are illustrated below. Although these Fixings structures are not ideal, they are commonly Rope (20m) (for fixing sheeting) required to meet emergency needs following conflict or disasters. Using plastic sheeting: Sanitation Plastic sheeting can be used in cold climates to create a thermal buffer zone, windows and for The primary objective of sanitation programmes in emergency upgrading of tents disasters is to provide dignity for people and to reduce the risks associated with faecal-oral diseases.

Sanitation is more than a latrine Construction on its own will not solve all sanitation Example: A family shelter repair kit following an issues. Ensure that disaster-affected people have earthquake (note: Most items can be purchased the necessary information, knowledge and nationally. The kit will have to be adapted according understanding to prevent disease from poor to circumstances.) sanitation. Roof, and / or walls and floor - Plastic sheet Tools - possibly distributed per community instead of by family. - Hammer Example: A basic superstructure for latrine / - Saw washroom Fixings Structure - Nails (5kg), 5cm -12.5cm, (2” -5") - Solid timber poles (6x3m) - Washers (½kg) Cover - Rope (20m) - Plastic sheet , 6x3m (cut in half) - Metal strap, 1mm thick (20 pcs.) (to nail over / Fixings strengthen timber joints) - Domed head nails (1kg) - Binding wire (5kg) or nails and battening

OXFAM Technical Brief – Plastic sheeting use and procurement in humanitarian relief 2 Example: A superstructure for latrine / washroom using plastic sheeting Building blocks of latrines can save materials but it can be harder to encourage ownership and keep them clean. Aim for a minimum of one latrine per twenty people Structure - Timber (0.1M3) - Nails (3Kg) Cover - Plastic sheet (6.5m2) - Domed head nails (1kg) or nails and battening

Example: Use of plastic sheeting as temporary but washable latrine slab

Reinforcement bands Use of plastic sheeting in infrastructure If plastic sheeting with reinforcement bands is Plastic sheeting is commonly used in the repair or available,fixings should pass through the bands to construction of temporary buildings for use as add strength to the fixings. clinics, schools, community centres, distribution or registration centres, way stations, offices, or warehousing. It is also commonly used for covering of materials and fencing. When plastic sheeting is to be used for infrastructure purposes by organisations or Fixing to the ground contractors, it is easier to use by the roll than in When plastic sheeting is connected directly to the individual sheets. ground, 50cm of additional plastic is required on each side for burying in trenches. If timber is Shadenet available, then the plastic sheeting can be nailed to Shadenet should be encouraged as a cheaper (but timber runners that are pegged to the ground (or durable) alternative to plastic sheeting for fencing connected to the foundations). and for the provision of shade in hot climates. (further reading: Shadenet / msf / shelterecentre) Whilst sandy soils will not grip the plastic sheeting as well as other soil types, it may be very difficult to dig trenches in some rocky soils. Choosing a Fixings method for fixing the sheeting to the ground Once good plastic sheeting has been procured, the therefore depends upon the soil conditions as well main principles to observe when fixing plastic as the availability of materials. sheeting are: weaker Tent pegs do 1) Spread the load not spread 2) Prevent the sheeting from flapping the load 3) Avoid contact with points of friction 4) Avoid Hotspots Dig a trench and cover with earth 1) Spread the Load Fixings of plastic sheeting must be spread over a Wrap plastic large area to prevent them from pulling through. around rocks and bury it

Wrap plastic around timber and bury it

Wrap around timber and stronger nail to pegs

OXFAM Technical Brief – Plastic sheeting use and procurement in humanitarian relief 3 Fixing to rope: Rock and stone - Covering the structure with light coloured A strong way of fixing rope to plastic sheeting is to insulating material. fold a smooth stone (minimum 3cm diameter) inside Procuring plastic sheeting the plastic sheeting and tie rope or strong cord The quality of plastic sheeting is impossible to behind it. This can cause sheets to crease which identify by visual inspection, specifically with can make them flap in the wind regards to durability under sunlight. For this reason, plastic sheeting is commonly procured in bulk by head office to very precise specifications. However, regional and headquarters staff should proactively

good good identify regional sources of good quality sheeting in preparedness rather than at the time of a crisis Use a smooth stone or tie a corner to attach the plastic sheeting to a rope. Further information Fixing to rope: Reinforcement bands Plastic sheeting / Shade net Plastic sheeting either comes with reinforcement bands or with eyelets fitted. The reinforcement Plastic sheeting – A guide to the specification and bands are usually grey or blue. Sheeting can fixed use of plastic sheeting in humanitarian relief. Oxfam by cutting a small hole in the reinforcement band / IFRC 2007. www.plastic-sheeting.org and tying thick cord through it. Where eyelets are used, they must be of good quality and well fitted Howard and Spice, Plastic Sheeting, Oxfam Publishing 1989

bad good good Sheltercentre, MSF-B shade nets, use deployment

Rope through a hole in Thick rope through Use of a good quality and procurement of shade nets in hamintarian relief the sheet - outside the a hole in the eyelet to attach plastic environments, MSF-B, 2006. reinforcement band. reinforcement band. sheeting to a rope. (www.shelterlibrary.org) 2) Keep sheeting tight General reference When plastic sheeting is not tight, it flaps with the The Sphere project, Humanitarian Charter and wind and can collect water puddles. This is both Minimum Standards in Disaster Response, 2004, noisy and damages the plastic sheeting. To avoid (www.sphereproject.org) flapping, always encourage people to pull plastic sheeting tight when building with it. UNHCR Handbook for Emergencies, UNHCR, 1999 (www.unhcr.ch) Ponding and puddles Sanitation With poorly designed roofs, puddles of water can collect on the plastic. These puddles can break the Lambert and Davies, Engineering in Emergencies, roof, cause the plastic sheeting to stretch, increase 2003, RedR the likelihood that roofs will leak, and can become Shelter breeding ponds for mosquitos. Shelterproject / Oxfam publishing, Transitional 3) Avoid sharp points Settlement: Displaced Populations, 2004. Plastic sheeting is easily punctured by sharp points (www.shelterproject.org) or worn away by rough surfaces (especially if it is UN/OCHA, tents, A guide to the logistics and use of not fixed tightly). When building a frame for plastic family tents in humanitarian response, UN/OCHA, sheeting ensure that all nails are flush with the 2004 (Available from www.shelterproject.org) timber. Ensure that edges and rough surfaces that will be in contact with the plastic have been Infrastruture smoothed. External objects such as tree branches MSF, Temporary and Semi-permanent structures for can puncture plastic sheeting. health strucctures in Refugee camps, MSF (Available 4) Avoid hot spots. from www.shelterlibrary.org) Plastic sheeting will get hotter where it is stressed Procurement catalogues, specifications and guidance over any structure that will hold and release heat, especially metal or black surfaces. This can cause ICRC / IFRC (International Committee of the Red the plastic to weaken and break. Prevent sheeting Cross / International Federation of the Red Cross) from overheating at contact points by: Emergency Relief Items Catalogue. - Designing structures to reduce the number of MSF (Medecins Sans Frontières) Catalogue contact points. (www.msf.org/source/refbooks) - Covering the plastic sheeting with opaque adhesive tape on the outside of the cover. UN/OCHA Timber: A guide to the planning, use, - Painting the plastic sheeting with aluminium or procurement and logistics of timber as a bitumastic paint at the contact points.

OXFAM Technical Brief – Plastic sheeting use and procurement in humanitarian relief 4 construction material in emergencies (first draft 2007). (available from www.humanitariantimber.org)

OXFAM Technical Brief – Plastic sheeting use and procurement in humanitarian relief 5