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50
Scavenging and Refuse Disposal.—The collection of refuse
in the Borough is under the control of the Borough Engineer who
has kindly supplied me with the following information :—
" During 1953 the amount of house and trade refuse collected
totalled 20,645 tons, showing an increase of 6% over the previous
year. The street sweepings collected amounted to 1,714 tons and
the percentage increase over the previous year was more than double
that shown on the refuse collecting service. This increase in the
tonnage of litter in the streets is most disappointing as the year
1953 was one of special propaganda effort on a national scale
designed to discourage the public from depositing litter in the streets
and open spaces.
The organisation for the supervision and marketing of salvage
continued and the quantity collected totalling 708 tons was very
little different from that collected in 1952. Unfortunately the
adverse movement in waste paper prices continued, the price falling
to a little more than a third of the high price obtainable in 1951.
The scheme continued, however, to show a small profit and is likely
to continue.
The waste food collected totalling 1,338 tons was also similar
in amount to 1952 but towards the end of the year the effect of the
availability of alternative animal feeding stuffs was apparent in
the increasing difficulty in the disposal of this salvaged material.
The practice of disposing of refuse by barging to refuse tips in
the Thames Estuary continued, the Council using its Tunnel Avenue
jetties for loading the barges. Negotiations have continued with
representatives of adjoining Boroughs for a Group Refuse Disposal
Scheme and attention has been directed towards exploring the
possibility of using pits in North Kent for the controlled tipping of
refuse."
RODENT CONTROL
General.—During the year the Rodent Control scheme, as approved
by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, has been continued.
A total of 2,278 investigations were made and infestation found to
exist at 397 dwelling houses and 60 places of business. There were
8 major infestations at business premises, 6 of them caused by ship
rat and 2 by common rat. Periodical treatments were carried out
at 12 of the large industrial premises. Throughout the year there
were 9 instances only of re-infestation after treatment. This is a
remarkably low figure and reflects credit on the staff carrying out
these duties.