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the stonework of the Houses of Parliament. Metals and fabrics,
etc. are equally affected.
(e) Avoidable waste of material which could be of immense
value to the community.
Some 82% of heat potential of coal is lost by wasteful methods
and to reduce that loss to 72% would result in a saving of some
60 million tons of coal per year.
A cheap but efficient method of extracting sulphur and/or its
compounds before their discharge into the air is sought which
would bring substantial benefits medically and economically.
(f) Increase in laundry costs.
An enquiry made just before the 1939/45 war revealed the fact
that the weekly wash at Manchester took one hour longer than
at Harrogate and that the soap and fuel costs averaged 3p per
week more. Recently, it has been estimated that extra laundry
costs in the country resulting from pollution to be in excess
of £25 per annum.
Control of air pollution is maintained by the efforts of a team
consisting of the Local Authority, the Department of the Environment
(incl. the Alkali Inspectorate), the Police (road vehicles) and
the Factory Inspectorate (dust, toxic fumes, etc., in factories).
Legislation enacted for their assistance is contained in the Clean
Air Acts of 1956 and 1968, the Public Health Acts of 1936 and
1961, the Public Health (Recurring Nuisances) Act of 1969,
supported by the Alkali &c. Works Registration Act, 1906
together with the Alkali &c. Works Order of 1966.
Since the introduction of the Clean Air Act, 1956, the average
concentration of smoke in London has declined by more than
75% and that of sulphur dioxide by more than 33.3%. Progress
towards a cleaner atmosphere has been so effective that various
other pollutants, previously overlooked, are becoming more
apparent and subjects of formal complaints. Among these are
malodourous industrial emissions and those from motor vehicle
exhausts, some of which give rise to metallic pollution.
Results from a recent but limited investigation carried out by
the G.L.C. Scientific Advisor into exhaust gas from motor
vehicles showed that, at present, this was not harmful especially
as any concentration is usually quickly dispersed by the wind.
Average hourly concentrations of carbon monoxide were found to
be about 10/20 p.p.m. and those for lead 1.1 microgrammes per
cubic metre; those for nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide were
1.7 and 0.2 p.p.m. respectively and none was considered a danger