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The estate which will have 2,000 families upon completion would
have provided an example of what could be achieved. The Council
did not at this first attempt accept the proposal.
The tables on pages 64-65 give comparable results of pollution
for the years 1948-1953.
As a result of the enquiries addressed to Dr. Somerville Hastings,
M.P. and the Minister of Fuel and Power, information was obtained
regarding the removal of sulphur gas from the flue gases of Power
Stations, and the proposed future disposition of Power Stations.
The Ministry of Fuel and Power has stated that flue gas washing
is only possible in certain sites with an ample supply of water. It
appears that in the case of the Barking Generating Station it is not
possible to use the River water for this purpose because it has already
been used at Battersea and Bankside and is therefore not suitable.
Experiments are being undertaken with another system of removing
sulphur gas which may provide a saleable product and may
therefore be operated at less than cost to the community. No further
information has been elicited on this system.
In reply to an enquiry by Dr. Somerville Hastings, M.P. the
Chairman of the British Electricity Authority stated that the height
of the chimneys of the Generating Stations had been carefully planned
after consultations with an eminent meteorologist so that all gases
are rapidly dispersed into the upper atmosphere.
It may be however, that under certain atmospheric conditions
dispersal would not take place, resulting in a higher concentration of
sulphur gases in the neighbourhood of the Generating Station.
In a later letter the Ministry of Fuel and Power stated that with
the completion of more Generating Stations and the feeding of the
grid system from Stations situated far from centres of dense population,
the use of the older plant at Barking will be discontinued except for
intermittent running at peak periods.
Dr. Somerville Hastings, M.P. put down questions on the subject
in the House of Commons. In answer, the Minister of Fuel and Power
said the problem of removing Sulphur Oxides from flue gases is the
subject of continuous research. He reiterated the statements made
above and added that a steady decrease in fuel consumption at the
Barking Generating Station is expected because of the retirement of
the older plant. This will reduce the emission of sulphur gases. He
stated that the method of sending out the smoke through tall chimneys
at high temperature and, by fans, at a high velocity is the best practical
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