Sudden or progressive change in the environment adversely affects the lives or living conditions of people who may have been displaced from their origin.

When environmental degradation occurs or sudden onset hazards impact vulnerable areas, people may be forced to move and relocate to areas that then require new infrastructure. The new infrastructure should be built to be resilient and strong enough to endure the impact of future natural hazards.

Excluded people hold the least power to influence decision-making whilst decisions regarding construction are usually made with people who hold significant relative power. Normally excluded people should be consulted regarding potential environmental impacts and regarding their personal needs and dependencies on the local environment.

Air pollution
Soil pollution
Water pollution
Loss of biodiversity and ecosystems
Impact on mental health

Air, water, soil pollution and harm to health from construction-related chemicals

Pollution and harm to health from crisis waste, construction waste, and naturally occurring hazardous substances.

Harm to ecosystems.

Chemicals are often used for construction – these include caustic soda, concrete and plaster additives, solvents, paints, timber treatment chemicals, pesticides, etc. and flammable substances such as propane which can cause burns.

Chemicals (oils, gases,) and other hazardous substances (e.g. asbestos) are often present in crisis waste, construction debris, or already naturally present in the soil (e.g. arsenic, anthrax, radon). Excavation and construction processes can release the soil or introduce them into the air, water, soil, exposing them to people, flora, and fauna.

Exposure to chemicals and other hazardous substances affects the health of humans, flora, and fauna. Damage to flora and fauna can disrupt or destroy entire ecosystems upon which humans ultimately depend for health, natural resources, or wellbeing.

Chemicals are often used for construction – these include caustic soda, concrete and plaster additives, solvents, paints, timber treatment chemicals, pesticides, etc. and flammable substances such as propane which can cause burns

Chemicals (oils, gases,) and other hazardous substances (e.g. asbestos) are often present in crisis waste, construction debris, or already naturally present in the soil (e.g. arsenic, anthrax, radon). Excavation and construction processes can release the soil or introduce them into the air, water, soil, exposing them to people, flora, and fauna

Exposure to chemicals and other hazardous substances affects the health of humans, flora and fauna. Damage to flora and fauna can disrupt or destroy entire ecosystems upon which humans ultimately depend for health, natural resources or wellbeing

A list must be made of all chemicals proposed to be used for construction and a plan made to control their storage and use, to prevent accidental spillages, pollution, or poisoning. This can include storing chemicals and paints in locked compounds or stores; storing intoxicating chemicals or gasses in free to air flowing locked cages; locking or strapping LPG bottles so they can’t fall and explode, and constructing bunds to capture any spillages and prevent leakages. All people who may come in contact with or use hazardous substances must be trained regarding their content, the threat they pose, their appropriate use, and their appropriate storage, as well as what to do if there is a spillage or unintentional ingestion.

Crisis waste and other construction waste should be assessed for the presence of chemicals and other hazardous substances (e.g. asbestos). Such hazardous waste should be appropriately separated, sorted, and treated, or disposed of to ensure it is not introduced into the environment (air, water, soil).

Chemicals and other hazardous substances may already be on the construction site – whether naturally occurring or from previous polluting activities. All sites should be assessed for the potential presence of harmful substances. If they are present they should be assessed to see whether they can be safely removed, treated, or contained and if not, then the site must not be used for WASH infrastructure. Any identified chemicals and other hazardous substances should be assessed to ensure their potential impacts on human health and on the health of plants and animals are understood. Contact should be avoided where possible, e.g. through using equipment to remove, treat or isolate contaminants. If people have to handle hazardous materials then they must be provided with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Local hospitals should be advised of the presence of any known hazardous substances and treatment plans should be in place.

In many humanitarian settings, such as floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis, dead bodies may not be able to be recovered for days after the crisis incident and building waste, sludge, debris, and hazardous waste are exposed for many months or even years. This was the case in Nepal after the 2015 earthquake.

The earthquake epicentre was in the Himalayas, causing the collapse of many remote villages as well as more distant towns and the capital Kathmandu. Access to some of the most remote locations to clear dead bodies took weeks, exposing local people to increased disease risk. Hazardous waste included live electrical cables, building debris and asbestos, and chemicals from factories, as well as many trees, collapsed roads, and other infrastructure.

Access restrictions meant clear up took a large number of humanitarian agencies, government agencies, private companies, and community members many years, and are still not complete in some locations.

# of construction sites with effective control of substances hazardous to health plans developed and implemented

Prevention of environmental damage

Time for assessing hazardous substances and developing carefully managed plans for storage, control, and use. Time and cost of training personnel in their safe use, storage, disposal, clean-up, and patient treatment.