View report page

CLEAN AIR:
There has undoubtedly been a decrease in the degree of Atmospheric
Pollution in London over the past 20 or 30 years, but it
remains a contributory cause of much ill health, structural damage
and drabness in our surroundings. The condition of the air in
Pinsbury and its further pollution from sources within the Borough
is probably little different from that in other parts of the
Metropolis.
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 estimation of the sulphur dioxide
content of the air by the lead peroxide 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 considerable 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.
SMOKE EMISSION:
The number of timed observations made during the year of the
chimneys in Industrial establishments was 310 and 32 complaints
of smoke investigated. Verbal warnings have been given where
appropriate and advice has been offered to managements and their
staffs. On 5 occasions in 1961 written notices were issued when
contraventions of the Act or Regulations had been observed.
34