Clean the pails before replacing them. When the pails are replaced, they should
contain about one inch of water. If plastic bag liners are available, use them for the
pails. The filled bags can be tied at the top and thus reduce the risk of spilling the
contents.
4-15. BURN-OUT LATRINE
The burn-out latrine may be used when the soil is hard, frozen, or rocky. In
addition, it is particularly suitable to areas with high water tables. The burn-out latrine
should not be used when air pollution regulations prohibit open fires or when the tactical
situation prohibits the formation of thick, black, greasy plumes of smoke.
a. Constructing the Latrine. A burn-out latrine consists of a 55-gallon drum
placed into the ground with the portion extending above the ground being a comfortable
sitting height (about three-fourths of the drum should be below ground level with about
one-fourth of the drum being above ground). A wooden seat with a fly-proof self-closing
lid is placed on top of the drum. Figure 4-9 shows a cross-sectional view of the
55-gallon drum and the latrine seat.
Figure 4-9. Burn-out latrine.
MD0535
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