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77
premises. This means that in spite of an increase in the use of
gas and electric heating, due to the Clean Air Acts, the amount
of refuse per hereditament remains at approximately 16¼ cwts. per
annum—equivalent to 35 lb. per week. The average weight per
1,000 population per day was 14½ cwts. (83,760 pop.). Most of this
is collected from individual bins, but now as blocks of flats
are erected more and more communal bins housed in chambers
at the bottom of chutes are being provided and at the end of
1963 some 500 were in use.
The scheduled frequency of collection throughout the Borough
is once weekly. In a number of pre-war blocks of flats, however,
sufficient bin storage was not provided and collections are made
twice weekly and in a few cases three times weekly.
By virtue of the London County Council (General Powers)
Act. 1959, it is now possible to require the provision of adequate
bin storage with satisfactory accommodation in new and converted buildings. To save labour as far as possible the use of
large bins is encouraged, as these are tipped into the refuse collection vehicles by mechanical means.
In the scavenging and refuse collection sections of the Works
Department there is difficulty in recruiting suitable able-bodied
employees who are prepared to undertake this arduous form of
labour to fill the vacancies which occur on the retirement of the
existing employees or to take the place of those absent from
work on account of illness.
As new types of refuse collection vehicles come on the market
these are inspected and tested so that the Council is, as far as
is practicable, up to date in its collection fleet.
With the introduction of sink waste disposal units, especially
in multi-storey blocks of flats, some refuse is now being disposed
of via the sewers, but at the moment the amount dealt with in
this manner is quite small.
Refuse Disposal
All refuse (including approximately 200 tons of trade refuse)
was conveyed to the Tip at Stone owned by the Land Reclamation Co. Ltd.
Public Baths and Washhouses.—Greenwich is in the happy
position of having a modern establishment for its Public Baths and
Washhouses, situated in Trafalgar Road, and covering an area of
1¼ acres. Originally there were 3 large swimming baths, 74 ladies
and gents' slipper baths, medicated vapour and foam baths
washhouses and laundry, etc.. but during the war the Ladies' 2nd
Class Swimming Bath was demolished by enemy action. Subsequently