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75
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
CLEAN AIR ACT 1956
Smoke Control Areas
Additional Areas in the Borough were brought into Smoke Control bringing
the total coverage at 31st December, 1963 to 949.31 acres made up as follows:-
Operative Areas Nos. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 - 398.58 acres
No. 3 - 151.98 acres
(operative 1st July, 1964)
No. 7 - 91.16 acres
(operative 1st Sept. 1964)
No. 8 - 13.18 acres
(operative 1st Sept. 1964)
No. 9 - 71.11 acres
(not yet confirmed)
No. 10 - 97.3 acres
(not yet confirmed)
No. 11 - 126.0 acres
(not yet confirmed)
949.31 acres
During the year, due to the appointment of two technical assistants and to
the modification and simplification of administrative procedures envisaged in the
Ministry's Circular 3/62, it became necessary to revise and expand the Five Year
Programme for the years 1962/1966. Areas centering around Myatts Field, Herne
Hill Library, Effra Parade, Knight's Hill Railway (Goods) Station, and Idmiston
Road were included in the Programme. The total area to be covered by the Programme
(including Areas already operative) is 1669.06 acres. Circular 69/63
dated 17th December, 1963 was received from the Ministry of Housing and Local
government. This stated that due to the rapid technological advance in the Gas
Industry, a shortage of solid smokeless fuel suitable for burning upon open fires
necessitated a reassessment of policy in the establishment of future Smoke Control
Areas. In particular, it foresaw a change over from open firegrates to openable
stoves, gas fires, electrical night-storage heaters (but not appliances subject
to "peak load" fluctuation) or fixed oil fired appliances.
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution
In addition to the five pollution measuring Stations situated in strategic
Points in the Borough, which are maintained daily, an automatic device, termed a
Sequential Smoke Stain Recorder, is in occasional use in the Public Health Department
offices (Blue Star House, Stockwell Road). This can be operated to give
a continuously comparative indication of the pollution of the air by suspended
smoke Particles at intervals of 1 hour, 3 hours, 8 hours or 24 hours as necessary.
It is used, particularly, to provide an hour by hour record of pollution levels during
the incidence of "smog".