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148
Dust Sorting by Hand.
The question as to the danger from dust sorting by hand has
been raised during 1903 in connection with proposed legislation
by the London County Council in the Session 1904 (prohibiting
the sorting and sifting of house refuse by hand in London).
Formerly, in Lambeth District, several depots existed, wherein
dust sorting by hand was carried on, and on account of the
action taken by the late Vestry (on the advice of the Medical
Officer of Health) such hand sorting was discontinued in connection
with Lett's Wharf (Commercial Road) and Phoenix
Wharf (Commercial Road). This action of the late Vestry has
been approved by the present Borough Council during 1903, and
the London County Council proposed Legislation supported—a
wise decision, upon which the Borough Council is to be congratulated.
It is true that there is always a difficulty in proving actual
injury to health from such an offensive occupation as hand
sorting of refuse, but there can be no doubt as to such a trade
process being dangerous to health, when we consider that the
employees work half buried in offensive, and more or less
decomposing and fermenting, organic refuse, the fumes from which
surround them, and are being breathed and re-breathed continuously.
A copy of the special Report presented to the Borough Council
on October 15th, 1903 is printed in the Appendix (pp. 68-70).
Deposit of refuse on St. John's Villa Estate, West Norwood,
A Contractor was found during June 1903 to be depositing
refuse (clay, road sweepings, and other offensive market sweepings)
on to the St. John's Villa Estate at the rear of houses in
Casewick Road, West Norwood, thereby creating a nuisance.
Action was taken, and the nuisance abated, such depositing
(except of olay) teing prohibited for the future.