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ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
The Dark Smoke (Permitted Periods) Regulations, 1958 provide the maximum
period for the emission of dark smoke from industrial plants; black smoke is limited to
not more than two minutes in the aggregate in any period of 30 minutes. Nine observations
were made of the chimneys of industrial premises in the Borough; action was
not called for in any case.
The Council continue to operate at the Civic Centre instruments for the daily
measurement of air pollution. In connection with the National Survey of Air Pollution
four additional sites have been chosen and equipment purchased for the daily measurement
of smoke and sulphur dioxide. The types of district in which the sites are situate are
(i) residential with high population density (Bennett Road, Chadwell Heath), (ii) residential
with low population density (Thompson Road), (iii) industrial (Ford Motor Company)
and (iv) smoke control area (Marks Gate). Regular observations commenced in the
Spring of 1962.
Smoke Control Areas
The Council have agreed in principle to include in smoke control areas the whole
Borough as soon as possible and in any case not more than 10 years.
The first smoke control area (the first in Metropolitan Essex) operated from the 1st
September, 1959; the area is at Marks Gate and comprises about 1,000 new Council
houses. The second area includes 3,722 houses (mostly owned by the London County
Council) and covers the South West corner of the Borough. The date of operation was
the 1st November, 1961. The third area includes 3,230 houses (mostly owned by the
London County Council) and is bounded on the South by the District Railway, on the
East by Heathway and Halbutt Street, on the North by Wood Lane and on the West by
the Barking boundary; the date of operation is the 1st November, 1962. The survey
of the forth area, which includes over 4,000 houses, has been commenced; this area is
bounded on the South by the District Railway, the East by Pondfield Road, Wantz
Road and Frizlands Lane, the North by Wood Lane and Trefgarne Road and the West
by Heathway and Halbutt Street.
In the survey all premises are inspected. At the houses the inspector delivers a
letter informing the tenants that he will be calling the following day (indicating either
morning or afternoon) and asking the tenant to be at home if possible. There has been
good co-operation but inevitably the work has entailed a large number of evening visits.
The extent of the work involved is indicated in that during the year 7,997 visits to premises
have been paid by the inspectors in connection with the survey. The Council later
agreed to the appointment of an additional inspector to assist in this work.
NOISE ABATEMENT ACT, 1960
The inspectors attended a course of lectures on noise abatement held at the South
East Essex Technical College.
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