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operative. It is a very low standard and condones living conditions bordering upon
intolerable. It is appreciated that whilst so many cases exist in occupied houses there
is no point in raising the standard but there is certainly no reason why it shouldbe
perpetuated in new and converted dwellings. A revised standard, based on where persons
have to sleep would be more in keeping with the present trend pf improving living
conditions.
Pet Foods
The sale of meat for pet food has for many years const i tuted a very pos it ive heal th
hazard. To effect control The Meat (Staining and Sterilising) Regulations 1960, were
introduced, whereby unfit meat from slaughterhouses was required to be sterilised.whilst
meat from knackers' yards required staining only. The difficulty of staining meat
effectively for retail sale and the ease presented in removing it, are well known. The
gate was still wide open. Knacker meat was surely as great a hazard, if not greater,
than unfit meat.from slaughterhouses, from a food poisoning view point. It is significant
that during a dock strike when the meat ration was reduced to 6d. all pet shops and
stalls in a certain area, were sold out within an hour of opening. It may be wondered
if this was due to genuine pet food buyers being joined by unscrupulous landladies and
cafe proprietors, buying meat for their "POTS".
The 1960 Regulations were replaced this year but although an improvement, a
loophple still exists. A pet meat factory receiving unfit meat for sterilisation may
also purchase meat which is fit for, but not intended to be used for human consumption,
and send this out as raw meat for pet food to retail sales points. If the trader is
genuine there is a positive risk of cross infection of this meat before it leaves the
distribution depot, and if he is not genuine, who is able to identify meat which should
have been sterilised, when it is exposed for retail sale?
We may hopefully wait for legislation to require that al1 meat intended for pet food
shall be sterilised before release for sale and that no pet food shall be sold from
food premises unless it is delivered in impervious containers and sold by retail only
in those containers.
To-day this is big business and unfortunately the bigger this type of business,
the greater the risk to health. Whilst it is still possible for a person to trade in
fit and unfit me at and to wholesale the former as carcase meat or offal for pets,
the problem of control borders on the impossible!'
CLEAN AIR
The Clean Air Act, 1968, (Commencement No. 1 Order) appointed the 1st April 1969 as the
date on which provisions of the Act came into force relating to the emission of grit and
dust from furnaces, approval as to the height of chimneys and the acquisition and sale of
unauthorised fuel in a smoke control area. These requirements together with that contained
in Section 3 of the Clean Air Act, 1956, relating to the notification of new boiler
installations is leading to abetter control of industrial smoke emission.
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