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BOROUGH OF KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES.
REFUSE DESTRUCTOR.
REPORTS BY THE WORSHIPFUL THE MAYOR, THE BOROTJGR
SURVEYOR, THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH AND THE
BOROUGH ELECTRICAL ENGINEER.
REPORT by Dr. W. E. St. L. FINNY, Mayor of Kingston-upon-'Thames.
REFUSE DESTRUCTORS
At the request of the Sanitary Committee I have visited the refuse destructors in use in
Cambridge, Sheffield, Southampton, Leyton, Tooting, and St. Luke's, Camberwell. I had
previously visited the destructor at Torquay, and have taken means of obtaining information on
the subject of the methods of disposal of refuse as generally adopted in England.
A process of cremation of the refuse in one of the recognised " dust destructors " is the
almost universal custom in large towns, and as the result of numerous experiments there are now
obtainable dust destructors constructed by several different makers, each of which is capable of
treating the refuse in a thoroughly satisfactory manner ; and this is borne out by the statements
of the managers of the destructors at work in the towns I visited, each of whom considered the
destructor he was working with to be the best obtainable.
There is a certain satisfaction in learning that though the question of the disposal of house
refuse in Kingston is an anxious one to the Sanitary Committee, yet we are by no means the first
who have found it so, for in Lucian's "Ancient Rome, in the Light of Recent Discoveries," we
read that there is a pillar in ancient Rome bearing the inscription, " Take your refuse further, or
you'll be fined." It is pleasing to the antiquary to reflect that because there were no "dust
destructors " in those days our museums now contain numerous vases, coins, and other interesting
articles which have been recovered from the ashpits of the Roman towns which formerly existed
in this country.
In considering which of the modern dust destructors are most suitable for the requirements
of Kingston-upon-Thames, it is desirable to understand what is the quantity and quality of the
refuse to be treated, and then to consider what are the capabilities, details of construction and
working, and also the cost of erecting and working a dust destructor.
The quality and the quantity of refuse varies considerably with the locality from which it is
collected, and with the seasons of the year, but as an estimate Kingston has to get rid of about
21 tons a day (six working days to a week), roughly 500 tons a month, 6,000 tons a year, and
this from a population of 34,500, an acrenge of about 1,114 acres, a net rateable value of
£170,165, gives about 3½ cwt. per head. According to the London County Council's repert the
refuse in London County averages 4 cwt. to 5 cwt. per head per annum. The average for the
whole kingdom is ¼ to ½ ton per head per annum, or 200—250 tons per 1,000 population per
annum.
Mr. Codrington estimates that a cubic yard of ordinary refuse weighs 12½ cwt. to 15 cwt. and
that "a load" of refuse weighs 15 cwt. to 1½ tons. It varies, however, considerably, for in Leeds
and Oldham 40 cubic feet go to a ton, while in Edinburgh 80 cubic feet go to a ton.
The labour entailed depends move upon the bulk than upon the weight. The quality of refuse
varies also, owing to a variety of circumstances, but the following analysis is given by Mr. J.
Russell as the average of the London ashbin, which may be taken as fairly representative of
Kingston also :
Per Cent, by Weight.
Breeze, cinder and ashes 63.6
Fine dust 19.5
Organic matter, paper, straw 12.0
Bottles, bones, tins, crockery (about) 50