Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Poplar, Metropolitan Borough]
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23
section C
sanitary circumstances of the borough.
Scavenging.—The collection of refuse and cleansing of streets, etc.,
are carried out by the Works Department.
I am indebted to Mr. Harley Heckford, M.Inst.C.E., the Borough
Engineer and Surveyor, for the following particulars:—
House Refuse.—Collected twice weekly by the pail system, the pails
being placed on the kerb by the householder. Four-fifths of the house
refuse is incinerated at the Council's Refuse Destructor, where it is tipped
into tubs and hoisted by cranes and shot into the furnaces, all handling
of the refuse itself being thus avoided. The other fifth is barged from a
riverside wharf.
Improved methods of dust collection by low loading freighters were
put into full operation throughout the Borough during the year.
Trade Refuse.—This is collected only when specially requested, and
its method of disposal depends entirely on its composition, it being sent
to the Destructor or Barge as circumstances warrant.
Street Cleansing.—The system for street cleansing includes hand
sweeping by gangs, orderly men, horse-drawn machine broom and
motor sweepers.
The main and other important roads are swept daily and nightly;
other roads mostly three times weekly. No road is swept less than twice
weekly.
The sweepings and/or slops are picked up and put into Barge at
Northumberland Wharf, or sent by rail by contractors.
Street Watering.—This service embraces the use of modern up-to-date
motor water vans, supplemented by horse-drawn water vans. The
extent of the watering depends almost entirely on weather conditions.
Summary for the Year 1932.
House refuse collected
Trade refuse collected
Slop and sweepings
Refuse from street markets
32,578 tons
112 ,,
8,879 ,,
2,608 ,,