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105
It will be noted that the smoke and sulphur dioxide figures follow a fairly regular
pattern, the highest daily concentrations being obtained in the winter with the lowest
in the summer. The standard deposit gauges, however, give very irregular results
due to the fact that the weather conditions can have a considerable effect on the
deposit. High winds will bring to the gauges road dust, dust from nearby building
sites, and leaves and small twigs from trees, these latter often rotting in the course of
a month pass down into the collecting bottle and so form part of the insoluble deposit.
CONTRAVENTIONS OF SMOKE CONTROL ORDERS
Minor contraventions of the provisions of Smoke Control Orders continue to
occur occasionally in domestic premises due to misunderstandings. These normally
result in no formal action, as occupiers readily comply with Orders when the position
is explained to them.
DARK SMOKE FROM INDUSTRIAL PREMISES
The adoptive Section 47 of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1961, which applies
in the whole of the Borough, again proved useful during the year and several warnings
were given, although no formal action was necessary. Contravention of this
provision, which deals with smoke other than from chimneys, commonly arises from
the burning of waste in the open.
SMOKE FROM INDUSTRIAL CHIMNEYS
Seventy-eight complaints regarding the emission of smoke from industrial chimneys
were received, and 512 observations were carried out by the inspectors during the
year.
In most cases, where an emission of dark smoke or black smoke was observed, the
cause was found to be due to faulty adjustment or maintenance of controls on oil-fired
furnaces and a remedy was quickly applied in many cases; smoke emission from
hand-fired incinerators, however, was sometimes more difficult to overcome.
The Council's Consultants and the National Industrial Fuel Efficiency Service
were called upon to assist and advise in a few cases, where firms were found to be
persistent offenders and where special problems were involved.
Complaints were also received about smoke from hot-blast cupolas, producer gas
plants and a power station, and these were notified to the District Alkali Inspector
of the Ministry of Housing and Local Government.
CLEAN AIR INFORMATION SERVICE
The Council pays an annual fee for membership of the Clean Air Information
Service, which is operated by the College of Fuel Technology. This entitles the
Council to a regular supply of technical information on all aspects of combustion
engineering and atmospheric pollution. In addition, the College acts through its
Principal as the Council's consultant in these matters, and the officers of the Department
have received much help in dealing with the many technical matters which
arise in the administration of the Clean Air Act. This is most valuable when unusual
processes are under consideration as, for instance, the new chimney for the glass
melting furnace mentioned under the paragraph on chimney heights.