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Act, 1906; the works will include such industries as metal smelting and synthesis, gas works, electricity generation, etc. In these
instances, however, it is understood that the Alkali Act deals only
with the particular processes which are registered under the Act,
Any other works, processes or plant carried on or operated at the
premises—e.g. ordinary power plant fired by coal or oil—will not
come under the Alkali Act but will be subject to the relevant
provisions of the Clean Air Act, 1956.
However, the Public Health Department is concerned mainly
with atmospheric pollution at breathing level, and in the average
urban area some 80-90 per cent of all pollution arises from household chimneys. Bituminous coal can be burned smokelessly
only under strict technical control and in the domestic fire this
is impossible. The inference is plain, and demonstrates the need
for a change to gas. electricity, oil, or one of the smokeless fuels.
An immediate wholesale change-over throughout the country was
never practical and the Act seeks to tackle the problem by adopting the principle of smokeless zones or smoke control areas. To
date, advancement towards complete smokelessness is faster in
Greater London than elsewhere, for approximately 40 per cent
of the metropolis is now smoke controlled. Progress, however,
is slowing down and is likely to become even slower still because
of technological developments in the gas industry, among which
is the increasing use made of liquid methane gas, resulting in a
decline in quantity of gas coke and other soft smokeless fuels.
With such a prospect in view it is more than ever necessary for
such fuels that are available to be used in the most efficient
manner, i.e., type of fuel should match the appropriate apparatus
and the Ministry in its Circular 7/63 has indicated how this may
be achieved.
In connection with Clean Air, three other Ministry Circulars
were issued during the year; one, 25/63 deals with assessment of
chimney height, another 54/63 with an addition to the list of
authorised fuels and the recognition of smoke control orders as
being registerable under the Land Charges Act and, finally.
Circular 69/63 giving information about the general pattern of
revised arrangements considered necessary in the light of
the availability of smokeless fuels in relation to the demand after
taking into consideration the technological alterations in the gas
industry.
Within the Borough a Smoke Inspector and an Assistant arc
employed full time on duties in connection with atmospheric pollution and with the surveying and supervising of smoke control
areas.
Under Section 11 of the Clean Air Act, 1956, detailed inspections were completed of the Council's sixth smoke control area