View report page

66
"Refuse Collection.—There is a daily collection of refuse throughout the greater
part of the City, the quantities of refuse collected and barged away, or otherwise
dealt with during the year ended 31st March, 1939, being as follows :—
tons.
House refuse 88,768
Trade refuse 4,612
Street refuse 10,811
Gully detritus 990
Clinker 5,870
Total 111,051
The figures for house and trade refuse show a reduction of 2,655 tons on last
year which is mainly due to the change in character of refuse which tends to decrease
in weight but increase in volume. The clinker is collected from large premises in
the City and disposed of by a contractor.
Transport.—The 4-year programme for the modernization of transport adopted
by the Council in 1933 has been completed, and at the 31st March, 1939, 42 motive
units of the mechanical horse type were in commission. These motive units are
used with trailers carrying bodies of special design for refuse collection, street washing
gully cleansing, general transport work, &c. Twenty of the motive units are petrol
driven and twenty-two electrically operated. The latter are quiet in operation and
therefore are of special utility during the night and early morning when the greater
part of the refuse collection and cleansing work is done.
Container System, of Refuse Storage and Collection.—The use of refuse containers
(covered receptacles on wheels with a capacity of 1¼
cubic yards) continues to
increase, and they are installed in 139 premises (chiefly hotels, restaurants, large
blocks of buildings and institute buildings) throughout the City. The use of containers
enables refuse to be stored in a sanitary manner pending collection which
may be done at any time during the 24 hours, an empty container being left when
a full one is taken.
Refuse Receptacles.—A house to house inspection of refuse receptacles in use
throughout the City is maintained and, where the receptacle does not comply with
the London County Council byelaws, the occupier is asked to supply a new one.
Occupiers of premises are also urged not to put their dustbins out overnight where
this is unnecessary and not to leave them out over the week-end or public holidays.
Where receptacles require replacement the occupiers are recommended to provide
dustbins complying with British Standard Specification No. 792 for mild steel
dustbins.
Refuse Disposal.—The erection of the Central Cleansing and Transport Depot
at Gatlifi Road was completed during the year and the Depot came into full
operation at the end of November. It contains a garage for all the Council's
vehicles, work and repair shops, salt store, general stores for the major part of the
Council's requirements, administrative offices, canteen, drying and locker rooms and
shower baths for the 260 employees working in and from the Depot. The building
has been erected round the refuse disposal plant which is now totally enclosed so