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17
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
Clean Air Act, 1956.
This Act "to make provision for a bating pollution of
the air" became partially operation December 31st 1956.
The "smog" of December 1952, which caused 4,000 deaths in
Greater London, demonstrated the urgent need for measures
to reduce pollution. Apart from its direct effect on health,
smoke, by blackening and corroding buildings, dirtying
fabrics, and harming plant life, indirectly reduces general
health and well being. The Beaver Committee estimated that
air pollution costs the nation £300000,000 a year.
The Local Sanitary Authority becomes the Local Authority
under the Clean Air Act and may make an order which
must be confirmed by the Minister declaring the whole or
part of its district a smoke control area. The Public
Health Committee gave full consideration to this question
and approved 385 acres on the Norholt Grange Estate as
the Council's first smoke control sea. This contains 1,301
houses, of which 464 are private, 83 council, and 15 other
premises, Approval in principle has been received from the
Minister of Housing and Local Government and a detailed
survey of the area has commenced. By the end of the year
this was almost completed and it is anticipated that a full
report will be presented to the Council for their consideration
early in 1958, When the Order comes into operation
ft will be an offence to permit thee mission of smoke from
chimneys caused by the burning of other than authorised
smokeless fuels. In many instances in order to burn these
fuels replacement or adaptation of existing grates will
be required. Grants amounting to7/10ths of the expenditure
will be available through the Local Authority
towards the cost of any adaptation which may be reasonably
necessary.
A Clean Air Exhibition is to be held at Downe Manor
School, Northolt, from the 10th to the 16th April 1958 to
give residents in the proposed soke control area an
opportunity of seeing a selection of approved electrical,
gas and solid fuel appliances. Here too, any difficulties
may be discussed so that co-operaton may be obtained in
carrying through this important measure of preventive
medicine.
Other provisions of the Act require that new furnaces,
with certain exceptions, should is far as practicable,
smokeless. Notice of intention to instal such furnaces
must be given to the Local Authority. The height of new