View report page

CLEAN AIR
Notices were given to the Council of proposals to instal furnaces in eight
premises. Seventeen applications for prior approval of furnace installations were
received and approved. Nineteen applications for chimney height approval
were received and approved, subject in some instances to the chimney heights
being amended.
The whole of the Borough is covered by smoke control orders. Approval, for
grant purposes, was given to the installation of 1,494 heating appliances, the total
estimated grants amount ing to £28, 468. In addition discretionary grants, in respect
of the 30 per cent balance of cost of works of adaptation to heating appliances in
dwellings were approved by the Committee in 8 cases on grounds of hardship.
A report published by the Research & Intelligence Unit of the Greater London
Council on the progress and effect of smoke control in London states that since
the introduction of the Clean Air Act the amount of coal consumed in London for
domestic use has fallen by 80% and that between 1962 and 1968 the emission of
smoke declined by 60%.
Concentrations of sulphur dioxide have not fallen so much as smoke, but despite
the fact that this pollutant is not controlled by the Clean Air Act there has been
a significant decrease. There is evidence to show that the symptoms of
respiratory disease are less evident now that air pollution has been
reduced.
There has been a substantia] increase in hours of sunshine in central London
during the winter months, e.g. an increase of 73% in December, and there has been
no major fog for seven years.
Due to the shortage of solid smokeless fuel nationally and the closure of
five gas works in and adjoining Tower Hamlets which supplied the local merchants
with coke, it was estimated that the shortage in this area would be in the
region of 100,000 tons. It became patent that it would be necessary to supplement
solid smokeless fuel with bituminous coal. As early as July application was
made to the Minister of Housing and Local Government for the suspension of
all Smoke Control Orders in the Borough from 1st November, 1970 to 31st
March. 1971. This matter was, however, not resolved until November when the
Minister finally agreed to a suspension of 40% of the Smoke Control Orders.
At the time this was considered inadequate due to the fact that the whole
Borough was subject to confirmed Smoke Control Orders but, probably due to avery
mild winter, no cases of hardship either from consumers or merchants came to the
notice of the Department.
-51-