View report page

The implementation of the Chimney Height Regulations, 1968, has proved to be difficult, as
the City has its own peculiar problems concerning chimney heights.
There is a tendency to view a tall building as being synonymous with a tall chimney and
expect thatitwill be justas effecti ve as a tall chimney in the despersal of products of combustion.
This is far from the truth, particularly when planning considerations dictate that the stack outlet
shall not protrude above the outline of the building it serves or intrude in any way on the skyline.
There have been no applications for installations which require a dilution of the flue gases
in order to discharge these products at ground level — a point which has been watched with some
trepidation since last year, as other forms of pollution could be caused by this practice.
The enactment of the 1968 Clean Air Act and subsequent Clean Air (Emmission of Dark
smoke) (Exemption) Regulations, 1969, has allowed bonfires to be burnt subject to certain conditions.
These provisions have tended to make the prohibition of such bonfires impossible.
Measurement of Atmospheric Pollution.
These measurements have continued throughout the year at two stations with volumetric
apparatus. At these stations 24-hour readings are taken of sulphur dioxide and particulate matter.
The results are forwarded to theMinistry of Technology at Warren Spring for computation. Samples
of deposited matter have been taken throughout the year at one station and the Corporation's
Public Analyst has returned monthly analyses of the samples submitted to him.
It is my view that two stations are hardly sufficient to adequately cover the City where
concentrations of pollutants can vary quite markedly by reason of very localised conditions.
Steps are being considered to improve the coverage in conjunction with Warren Spring Laboratory.