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9
SCAVENGING.
Refuse Collection.— The collection of house refuse in the Borough is under
the jurisdiction of the Highways Committee of the Council and under the control
of the Borough Engineer, Mr. James Gair, to whom I am indebted for the information
given here. The system of collection is continually under revision and
changes are made from time to time with a view of more efficient working. All
premises in the Borough now receive at least a twice weekly collection. In addition,
over a great portion of the Borough a daily collection is made, and in certain streets
in which refuse collecting vehicles are prohibited by the Ministry of Transport during
certain hours, collection is carried out from the kerb within the hours prescribed.
This naturally entails a greater concentration of collecting vehicles in certain parts
of the Borough and still further increases the number of calls made per annum.
Considerable increase continues in the number of large premises, such as blocks of
flats, hotels, etc., where the "container" system of collection is in operation.
This method provides for the provision of special containers, which are purchased
by the owners of properties. Collection is made daily. The containers are
removed bodily from the premises and conveyed to the Council's Wharf, where
Lhey are emptied and cleansed and disinfected before being returned to the
premises. This method, obviously more hygienic, is also quicker and less noisy
in working and far more satisfactory than refuse bin collection.
During the year progress was made in the direction of providing the new
fleet of house refuse collecting vehicles. These are entirely enclosed and are end
loading, steps being fitted to facilitate entry, and as a result refuse collection is
being carried out in a more efficient and hygienic manner than previously.
Refuse Disposal.— With regard to disposal, the whole of the refuse collected in
the Borough is taken to the Council's Wharf on the Canal at Paddington Basin
and there discharged into a collecting pit. From this it is taken by means of an
electric crane into a screen having a graded mesh which separates the large and
small material. The larger material passes along a picking belt and from this is
extracted saleable material, such as waste paper, rags, bones, scrap metal, etc., the
latter finding a ready sale. The fine ashes and breeze obtained by screening are,
during the winter months, disposed of to brickmakers and others. The residue
from the picking belt is conveyed to a series of furnaces and a Woodall-Duckham
refuse destructor, the latter being mechanically fed, and clinkered. The steam
produced is used to generate electric current for lighting, heating and power at the
wharf. In this way the quantity of crude refuse to be conveyed to the Council's
Shoot at Northolt, where it is carefully covered and so dealt with as to reduce
risk of nuisance, is greatly diminished. In consequence of complaints received in
regard to the emanations from the two existing chimney shafts the Council have
decided to have erected a new 200 feet shaft and this is in course of construction.
This new shaft will take the emanations from the two destructor plants.
The question of refuse disposal in London as a whole is now being considered
by a special Sub-Committee set up by the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint
Committee, of which St. Marylebone forms part of Group 1 of the North-West
District.
It is anticipated that the report of this Sub-Committee will shortly be issued.
Since the issue of the "Dawes" report on London Cleansing in 1928, when it was
suggested that a Central Authority should be set up to deal with London refuse as
a whole, practically no forward move has been made. The terms of reference to
the Sub-Committee referred to above are to examine and. report upon the existing
methods, etc., of the Metropolitan Boroughs and to suggest the most satisfactory
and efficient method of dealing with disposal of refuse on scientific lines. The
Committee has now completed its inspections and it is hoped that the publication
of the report will be productive of such action being taken as will prevent further
stagnation and will give a strong lead to the Metropolitan Borough Councils for
institution of methods of disposal which will be scientific, sanitary and economical.
Street Sweepings.— Street sweepings are collected by means of special vans
and conveyed to the Council's Wharf. Here the greater part is passed through a
pulveriser and is disposed of to market gardeners, etc., for use as a fertiliser, the
remainder being conveyed to the Council's Shoot. The Borough has been divided