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42
Refuse Disposal.
The whole of the house refuse collected in the Borough is discharged into a collecting
pit at the Council's wharf situated at Paddington Basin on the Grand Union
Canal. From this pit it is lifted by an electric crane and passed through a graded
screen which separates large and small material and extracts the fine ashes and
breeze. From the larger material is extracted saleable articles such as waste paper,
rags, bones, scrap metal, etc. A magnetic separator deals with the tin and metal
output. The whole of the material obtained by screening and separation is readily
disposed of to scrap merchants, brick makers and others.
The residue is taken by a conveyor belt to a series of furnaces and a Woodall
Duckham destructor, mechanically fed and clinkered. The steam thus produced is
used to generate current for lighting and heating at the wharves and to drive the
electrical machinery of the incineration plant.
Part of the refuse, together with the clinker from the furnaces is conveyed by
barge to the Council's shoot at Northolt where it is carefully covered in accordance
with the Ministry of Health's regulations regarding controlled tipping and also to
meet the requirements of the Middlesex County Council and the Ealing Borough
Council, pursuant to the Middlesex County Council Act of 1934. The emanations
from the two destructor plants at the Wharf are dealt with by means of a 200 ft.
chimney shaft.
The Council has under consideration the erection of a complete new incineration
plant to deal with the whole of the refuse collected and an advertisement has been
issued through the press asking for quotations and details to a specification prepared
by the Borough Engineer in conjunction with Consulting Engineers appointed by
the Council.
The work of refuse collection, screening, incineration, barging and tipping is
continually under supervision with a view to avoiding any possibility of nuisance.
Every precaution is taken to ensure satisfactory and efficient working and to give
as little annoyance as possible.
Street Cleansing.
For cleansing purposes the Borough is divided into beats and each sweeper
is entirely responsible for a definite length of public way. A similar system applies
to the night sweeping gangs. Sweepings are collected and placed in galvanized
refuse bins, two of which are mounted op each orderly barrow which has pneumatic
tyres and is pushed by the sweeper. Periodical calls are made during the day at
pre-arranged collecting spots and the contents of the bins are loaded into specially
constructed side-loaded and covered collecting lorries and conveyed to the Council's
wharf, treated, loaded into boats and conveyed to the shoot. The covers fitted to
these vehicles prevent the possibility of the refuse being blown over the public
streets. Gulley cleansing is carried out by means of three mechanically operated
gulley cleansing machines. The contents of the guileys are pumped into vehicles
entirely under cover during the whole process and conveyed direct to the Council's
wharf, where it is deposited into a pit to allow for drainage and settling and final
conveyance to the shoot.
Offal.
Various classes of offal, e.g., fish and green offal, and refuse from petrol interceptors
at garages, are collected by the Council, a charge being made for these
services and for the removal of certain trade refuse. Fish offal is sold to a contractor,
other offal being treated in the same way as street sweepings.