London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
City of Westminster 1958
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Westminster, City of]
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44
Smoke.
Average readings from apparatus sited at Monek Street, S. W.l.
By means of this apparatus a measured volume of air is drawn through
a filter paper which removes solid matter from it. The stain thereby
produced is compared with a standard, from which the amount of pollution
is calculated.
Parts per 100 c.m.
Average value
January 31
February 21
March 13
April 9
May 6
June 5
July 4
August 4
September 7
October 14
November 19
December 36
SMOKE ABATEMENT—RESULTS OF OBSERVATIONS AND ACTION TAKEN
| 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Complaints received | 69 | 121 | 87 | 41 | 67 |
| Observations taken | 1,414 | 2,413 | 2,634 | 1,603 | 625 |
| Notices issued— | |||||
| Preliminary | 2 | 7 | 23 | 6 | — |
| Statutory | — | — | — | — | — |
Clean Air Act, 1956.
The Act came into force on 31st December, 1956, and under Section 11
local authorities are empowered to create Smoke Control Areas within
their districts. In a Smoke Control Area, the occupier of any building
for which no exemption has been granted, from which smoke is emitted
in contravention of that section, is guilty of an offence for which the
maximum penalty is £10 for each day on which the offence is committed.
Under the Act local authorities have power to grant exemption for
a particular building or group of buildings, or a particular fireplace or
fireplaces. In general, it is the policy of the City Council not to grant
such exemptions.