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1938]
44
SECTION C
SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE BOROUGH
SCAVENGING.
The Medical Officer of Health is required to give particulars of any extension
or improvement during the year in the arrangements for refuse collection and
disposal, and a statement regarding the efficiency of the methods employed for the
removal and disposal of house refuse. During the year the Medical Officer of Health
visited the dumping grounds where the contractors dispose of Islington refuse.
Mr. Browning, the Cleansing Superintendent, has kindly supplied the following
statement regarding the work of his department during the year :—
Street Sweeping.—the last of the horses have now been dispensed with and
all street sweepings are now collected from the containers by means of hygienic
mechanically-propelled vehicles.
Street Watering.—The old-fashioned horse-drawn water carts, which merely
sprinkled the surface, are no longer used, and the latest gully emptying machine,
which is also equipped for high-pressure street washing is used for this purpose.
The much greater volume and pressure of water tends to clean the surface of the
road and wash the contents of the channels into the gullies.
Refuse Collection, Block Dwellings.—In order to cope with the increase in
the number of block dwellings the motive units drawing the special trailers have
had higher powered engines fitted. A new trailer has been purchased and the
flats belonging to the L.C.C. in the Borough of Stoke Newington are now
serviced by this Department.
Fish Offal —By arrangement with the contractors who previously purchased
the fish offal, the collection is now made directly by them, thereby obviating
the transfer of this material at Ashburton Grove, the offal being taken in special
containers directly to the factory.
General.—There has been an increase in the percentage of house and trade
refuse collected by mechanical vehicles as compared with horse-drawn vehicle
collection, the figures now being 85.1 per cent. mechanical collection and 14.9
per cent. horse-drawn collection.
Refuse Disposal.—Large all-steel wagons are now used in place of wooden
trucks for the conveyance of the Council's refuse by rail to the disposal points.
These wagons are not used for any other purpose.
All refuse is sent by rail to contractors' dumps and dealt with in accordance
with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health. The dumps are frequently
inspected by the Cleansing Committee and the Superintendent of the Cleansing
Department and by the local sanitary authorities.