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During 1953,43 complaints were received of alleged nuisances
from the emission of smoke and 83 observations were kept by the
district sanitary inspectors. Where such complaints were found
to be justified, steps were taken to secure the abatement of the
nuisance.
During the early part of the week commencing Monday,
October 12th, a number of verbal and written complaints were
received by the Public Health Department of nuisances from
offensive odours during the preceding weekend. These odours
were mainly described as sulphurous and choking in character
and in some instances were stated to have caused vomiting.
The complaints were not confined to any particular area of
the Borough, but were widespread throughout Peckham and
Dulwich. It was, therefore, apparent that the nuisance could not
be attributed to emissions from a local factory as was alleged by
at least one complainant.
Enquiries made at the Public Health Departments of
adjoining Boroughs elicited information that they had received
similar complaints.
The Meteorological Office reported that atmospheric
conditions during the weekend in question were conducive to
fog ; it was mild, with very little wind ; humidity, although low
on the Saturday morning, was high the following day, and there
was inversion in temperature.
The conclusion arrived at, therefore, was that the atmospheric
conditions gave rise to an abnormal concentration of
oxides of sulphur emitted from chimneys which caused a feeling
of choking and irritation of the mucous membrane of the
respiratory tract.
Fortunately, on Tuesday, 13th October, there was heavy
rainfall which washed these impurities from the atmosphere and
no further complaints were received. There is, however, the
possibility of a recurrence of this concentration of impurities in
the air whenever atmospheric conditions are favourable.
Normally, rising smoke reaches air of a lower temperature.
During fog, however, fall in atmospheric temperature with
increase of altitude may be negligible or there may be an inversion
and the atmospheric temperature increase with height. Under
these conditions, smoke will not rise and will tend to fall, thus
resulting in a concentration of impurities in the air at a low level.
One of the main causes of atmospheric pollution is the burning
of coal; the more inferior the coal (e.g., nutty slack) the
greater the pollution. Other causes of pollution are the gases
discharged from the engines of the numerous omnibuses and
motor vehicles on the road.
It has been estimated that two million tons of smoke are
emitted into the air annually, more than half of which is the