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44
smoke and to obviate this, it would be necessary to burn one of the
smokeless types of fuel for which special grates would need to be
installed.
The Council was not, during the year, able to recommend any
part of the district as an initial area and deferred further
consideration until assurance could be obtained with regard to the
availability of the right type of fuel.
Pollution Gauges.
In July, a volumetric apparatus for measuring air pollution
was installed at the Public Health Department's office at the Manor
House, and this measures, day by day the extent of the tarry matter
in a sample of air and the quantity of the gas, sulphur dioxide,
contained in it.
The apparatus indicated a comparative absence of either of
these pollutants during the summer months, but in still conditions
especially when fog was seen to be forming, the gauge recorded a
seventy-fold increase both in soot and sulphur dioxide.
The accompanying graph shows the readings obtained.
Graphs are also reproduced showing results obtained from the
Deposit Gauges and Sulphur Dioxide Gauges installed some years
ago at Holbeach Gardens, Sidcup, and at Riverside Road, North
Cray. The Deposit Gauges record principally the solid matter
falling out of the air in the course of a month. Amongst the matter
collected is cement flue dust emanating from cement factories
situated east of Dartford.
The average total solids deposited at North Cray are equivalent
to 12.21 tons per square mile each month, and at Blackfen the
corresponding figure is 11.43. Both recordings are similar to
those obtained in 1957. Not all of this matter can be considered
as originating from the cement industry, but concern is still felt in
this connection. The Council is a constituent member of the
Thames-side Joint Committee for the Abatement of Atmospheric
Pollution, which seeks to eliminate this nuisance. A request made
to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government for a Public
Enquiry into the cement flue dust nuisance was not acceded to.
During the year the Chairman accompanied by some members of
the Public Health Committee, visited one of the factories concerned.
The Council is represented on the Thames-side Joint
Committee for the Abatement of Atmospheric Pollution by Mr.
E. W. White and Mr. A. V. Hatley. Representatives on the
Standing Conference of Co-operating Bodies in the Investigation of
Atmospheric Pollution are Mr. A. V. Hatley and Mr. C. E.
Wiltshire, and on the London and Home Counties Clean Air
Advisory Council, Mrs. E. V. Wallace and the Chief Public Health
Inspector.