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1909]
230
The difficult problem of refuse disposal has been brought forward in the period
under report, especially in reference to these kitchens.
Messrs. Lyons, Ltd., of Pentouville Road, were keeping light refuse bins in a basement
kitchen (used for the preparation of food), awaiting the weekly clearance of the
Borough Council. A decided nuisance was the inevitable result, and notice to abolish it
was served on the occupiers.
They refused to do this, and a summons was accordingly served upon them
under the Public Health Act, 1891.
The defence submitted was that they had already obtained judgment as to the
nature of the refuse accumulated; that it was of the nature of house refuse; that under
certain sections of the Public Health Acts the Council were bound to remove house refuse
when necessary; aad therefore it was the duty of the Council to remove this refuse.
The magistrate thereupon gave judgment for the defendants, and ruled that the
Borough Council should clear their refuse daily from the premises in ques.tion.
If, therefore, the refuse thus accumulated on Messrs. Lyon's premises is held to
be of the nature of house refuse, it follows that all kitchen refuse is of the same nature,
and a systematic bi-weekly clearance from all places where food is prepared (which my
last report advocated) is a necessary compliance with the existing law.
In a previous report I referred to Sec. 8 of the London County Council General
Powers Act, 1908, where it is laid down that "due cleanliness shall be observed by persons
engaged in such places" (viz., places where food is prepared). Further observation has
confirmed the necessity of compelling employers to provide lavatory accommodation for
the kitchen and restaurant workers. There are only about 10 per cent, of these places that
have any such accommodation, in the remaining 90 per cent, the kitchen sink is used for
the personal ablutions of the workers, and when plugged, is the actual wash-bowl for
cups, saucers, plates, etc. ; which is, of course, equivalent to allowing the washing of
utensils in the wash-basins of the employees. Beside this, combs and brushes are found
in close proximity to pastry boards and sausage machines; in one instance a man employed
in the kitchen was using a table cloth from the restaurant as a body towel at the time of
the inspector's call, and, in another, a hair brush in use was wetted, at intervals, in a
pan of peeled potatoes. True, the potatoes were to be boiled before being eaten, but
altogether it seems desirable that a regulation forbidding the use of the kitchen as a lavatory
for the employees should be rigorously enforced. It would be conducive to the personal
comfort of the workers, and to the high standard of cleanliness so necessary in the
preparation of food.