View report page

42
As a result of action taken by the Borough Council, the London County Council
now include, in appropriate cases, in their consent under the Town and Country
Planning Act, a condition that the storage, collection and disposal of refuse shall
be to the satisfaction of the Borough Council.
In conjunction with the "container" system of collection, the use of dust
chutes is possible in suitable buildings, and where adopted, this system has proved
efficient and worked very satisfactorily.
The fleet of vehicles used for the normal collection consists of entirely enclosed
end-loading motor vans, steps being fitted to facilitate entry.
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 are 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 wharf 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 regulations of the Ministry of Health regarding controlled tipping and
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 have under consideration the erection of a complete new incineration
plant to a specification prepared by the Borough Engineer in conjunction with
Consulting Engineers appointed by the Council. If adopted this will deal with the
whole of the refuse collected in the Borough.
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 on 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 transferred to 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 gulleys are pumped into vehicles
entirely under cover during the whole process and conveyed direct to the Council's
wharf, where the material is deposited into a pit to allow for drainage and settling
and final conveyance to the shoot.