In Anderson, South Carolina, whether to use a tarp or another material for transporting trash is somewhat of an issue. Essentially, the town wants to prevent litter when residents transport their trash by car or truck and, in a local law, requires a “tarp” to cover any trash being moved. This includes trash cans that even have a locked lid. In any instance trash could escape, a tarp-like material is required. Residents, on the other hand, think that an actual polyethylene tarp is needed, and the town plans to revise this law to define a tarp as any material that will effectively cover a load of trash. As mentioned in the article, this could include a bed sheet or netting, as long as the material prevents any trash from being blown out.

While using the proper material when transporting trash is an issue, a more prominent issue is how the load, including the “tarp” is being secured. With a traditional dump or flatbed truck, when a tarp isn’t properly secured, the tarp can come loose, thus exposing the load to moisture, or it can experience wind whip, which decreases the lifespan of a tarp. When residents of Anderson or any Southern town with a similar issue plan to use a tarp or similar material, they should secure it, so that the material doesn’t come loose and allow trash to fly out.

The new guidelines in St. Petersburg, Florida for putting a tarp over a car include that the tarp must be six inches above the ground and the tarp cover should be clean and of one color. The six inches rule is in place so that cars with flat tires and sitting on a frame without tires can be detected and not confused with covered cars that have all functional tires.

How do these new guidelines function in protecting cars, and other vehicles like RVs and boats needing the protection of a tarp cover? A tarp can be attached easily around a vehicle and still offer enough protection while being six inches above the ground. In the case of RVs and cars especially, the tarp can protect the vehicle by being attached directly above the wheels. In this case, the tarp won’t be loose enough to blow in the wind, as it will be held with bungee cords, and moisture and air will still be allowed to circulate. In terms of keeping the tarp clean, if a car or seasonal vehicle is being protected by a tarp for several months at a time, brushing off any leaves or debris that accumulates on top of the tarp should be sufficient enough to have a clean tarp protecting a car.