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The Act is also concerned with ensuring that chimneys to be erected
in new or extended industrial buildings must be of such a height to
prevent, as far as practicable, smoke, grit, or fumes becoming prejudicial
to health, and in considering plans placed before them local authorities
will reject proposed works if they are satisfied the heights of chimneys are
inadequate for the prevention of nuisances as indicated.
The disastrous effects of atmospheric pollution on the health of the
nation will be quite apparent from a contemplation of the following brief
statistics:-
(a) Lung cancer deaths rose from approximately
11,000 in 1949 to over l6,000 in 1955.
In this borough deaths from this cause
have, in the past six years, risen from
16 to 31.
(b) Bronchitis is, in England and Wales, annually
responsible for 30,000 deaths.
It is also estimated that 26,000,000 days
absence from employment by insured persons
occurs yearly, and without doubt, this
particular disease is the greatest single
cause of sickness.
(c) 4,000 deaths from respiratory diseases were
a direct result of the smog incident of
December, 1952.