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Two lots of bedding were destroyed.
The Public Health Inspectors act in co-operation with the Housing
Department to ensure that no infested families are admitted to Council
properties and that the latter are free of such conditions when re-let.
Smoke Abatement and Atmospheric Pollution
The slow awakening of the public conscience to the need for reducing
the daily toll in health taken by pollution of the atmosphere is reflected in
the Clean Air Act which found its way on to the statute book in July
although the first provisions did not come into operation until 31st December.
The powers and duties of local authorities will be extended by the Act
which now forms part of the public health code. Early in 1954 the Council
first took steps to estimate the amount of grit being emitted into the atmosphere
by the installation of three deposit gauges so sited as to provide
information in respect of a part of the district which had been the subject of
particular complaint. This was augmented later the same year by the
provision of apparatus in the grounds of the Public Health Department for
measuring the concentration of atmospheric sulphur dioxide and the
intensity of smoke pollution. These arrangements were made after consultation
with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
The area which was the subject of this special investigation receives in
addition to domestic smoke the discharge from a few industrial furnaces,
some of which are in the process of conversion from coal to oil fuel. it will
be of interest to note how this conversion affects the degree of atmospheric
pollution as recorded by the apparatus which has been installed.
The following tables give a summary of the investigations undertaken
during the year: