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traffic flow) and narrow roads lined by continuous high buildings.
The degree of pollution may be expected to be similar at places in
this country wherever these conditions prevail.
A report was made by the Chairman of the General Purposes Committee
of the Greater London Council on 22 February 1971 following a
detailed report by the Scientific Adviser to the GLC. The levels
found were not considered a danger to health.
In the House of Commons on 3 August 1971 (Hansard column 273-274)
the Secretary of State for the Environment listed the surveys being
carried out or sponsored by various Government Departments and
research councils. Those applicable to atmospheric lead included:-
1. Vehicle exhaust pollutants including lead at Reading (Road
Research Laboratory and Warren Springs Laboratory).
2. Measurements of airborne lead and other exhaust components at
two points in London, one with heavy traffic and one away from
traffic. (Medical Research Council Air Pollution Unit).
3. Measurement of lead content of soil near busy roads (Road
Research Laboratory).
4. Study of lead levels in plants and small animals near busy roads
(Monks Wood Experimental Station).
5. Study of differing lead levels in the blood of two groups of
professional drivers working in London one in daytime and one at
night (Medical Research Council Air Pollution Unit).
Other surveys cover pollution from industry and tips, and surveys
of lead in food are being carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture,
Fisheries and Food.
The Medical Officer of Health for Islington in his Annual Report of
1970 lists lead levels in the atmosphere. He suggests that these
levels should be considered in conjunction with the Technical Report
of California Standards for Ambient Air Quality (State of
California I960) which suggested an estimated standard of six
microgrammes per cubic metre as a permissible maximums-