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improved appliances capable of burning coke efficiently in the
new houses and flats they build, and they have, in granting the
tenancy of each post war house or flat, made it a condition that
only smokeless fuel may be used by the tenant. This has resulted
in the creation of large zones in many cities and towns in which
no smoke is created.
Although more than 4,000 deaths were associated with the
1952 "smog" in London, the precise cause of these fatalities has
not been established. Expert opinion tends to the view that it
was not the smoke itself but one of the contained gases such as
sulphur dioxide which was chiefly responsible in causing the
death of older persons with chronic pulmonary disease. The
burning of smokeless fuels will not entirely remove the danger
because their combustion produces gases which may be injurious
to health. It has been established, however, that the concentration
of sulphur dioxide and smoke in the atmosphere tend to
increase and decrease together. Sulphur trioxide, and the sulphuric
acid mist which is formed from it by the absorption of
water from the atmosphere occur both as a result of direct
emissions from some fuel burning installations and by the
subsequent oxidation of sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere.
This latter reaction is probably more pronounced during conditions
of fog.
A great deal more information is required as to the ill-effects
of high concentrations of sulphur dioxide. It is understood that
during the London "smog" of 1952, the concentration was not as
high as might have been expected and was well below that
allowable in industry. Recent work suggests that a given concentration
of sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere is much more dangerous
when a small quantity of sulphuric acid mist is present.
It appears too that new forms of air pollution from Industry
may be arising as a result of certain types of manufacturing
process. Promising results have already been obtained from new
methods of combustion of fumes to convert dangerous gases into
less objectionable products.
At the end of the year the Public Health Committee, pending
further legislation in connection with the prevention of air
pollution, gave consideration to the establishment of a voluntary
smokeless zone or "smoke control area" bounded by Camberwell
Road, Camberwell Church Street, Peckham Road, Southampton
Way and New Church Road. This zone embraces the London
County Council's Picton Street and Wells Way clearance areas
and the Borough Council's Camberwell House site, and it was
decided to seek the co-operation of the London County Council
by providing all new flats with suitable appliances for burning
solid smokeless fuels and making it a condition of tenancy that
only smokeless fuels should be used.