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On a day in October 1956 continuous observations were made from
certain nigh buildings in the Borough throughout the hours of daylight,
in order to obtain an overall picture of the size of the smoke problem
in the Borough.
During the whole day no source within the Borough produced smoke
in such quantity or density as to create a serious nuisance, and even
the domestic sources seemed to be comparatively low. It was thought
however desirable on that occasion to send a written intimation to
nine firms whose smoke or whose chimneys were particularly noticeable.
Air pollution from Industrial establishments is certainly lessened
as a result of improvements to boiler plants that have been carried
out by firms or from the result of pressure brought by officers of the
department Atmospheric smoke however, has not decreased correspondingly
and now probably represents a much greater proportion of the
total pollution than before. Much attention has been given to the
problems of the prevention of pollution especially since the end of
1956 when the Clean Air Act came into force
MEASURE OF ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
Since the middle of 1953 a station for measuring air pollution
has been operated in the Pinsbury Health Centre in conjunction with
the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and monthly
determinations of the soluble and insoluble deposits have been made,
together with the es m of the sulphur dioxide content of the air
by the lead perioxide candle method. Since March 1955 daily measurement
of the smoke and sulphur dioxide by volumetric analysis have also
been made.
At the beginning of 1960 the monthly estimation of sulphur dioxide
by the first method were discontinued as it was found from experience
over three years that concordant results were arrived at by this, and
the volumetric methods. This is not necessarily the case in all areas
as each of the two methods also measures some other impurities There
is considerably daily and seasonal variation, due to the weather and
no doubt the amount of fuel consumed in the District, but there has
been little change in the general level of pollution, as is shown by
the accompanying tables which give the findings for 1955 and also for
1959 and i960
There would appear to have been a significant decrease in smoke
pollution but on the other hand the soluble deposits in 1959 and to a
lesser extent in 1960 have increased but these may have originated in
areas very close to the instruments It has been suggested that the
demolition of nearby slum property played a part in this increase.
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