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HEIGHTS OF CHIMNEYS
Applications under the Building Regulations, 1965, in respect of new chimneys
totalled 84, a considerable increase over last year's total of 19. This increase was
partly accounted for by the greater emphasis given to chimneys and flues in the
Building Regulations by comparison with the former Building Byelaws. New oil-fired
warm air heaters for factories, warehouses and garages are proving popular and also
contributed to the increase.
The full fume arrestment plant for the British Bath Works, Greenford, was
commissioned late in the year after some delays due to late delivery of equipment and
unforeseen difficulties in supporting the new equipment on the existing cupolas. Regular
use of the new plant had not commenced by the end of the year but the commissioning
trials suggested that a considerable improvement will be achieved which will be most
welcome in the neighbourhood surrounding the works.
MEASUREMENT OF AIR POLLUTION
The six daily volumetric instruments for measuring smoke and sulphur dioxide
in the air and the six deposit gauges (including one operated by the North Thames Gas
Board) for monitoring local emissions were maintained in operation during the year.
The complete results for the year are given in Tables 11, 12 and 13.
The overall figures for the daily volumetric instruments show average
reductions, compared with 1965, of 25% in the amount of smoke and 12% in the amount
of sulphur dioxide in the air. The reduction in the amount of smoke is not quite so
great as that noted between 1964 and 1965, but the reduction in sulphur dioxide is
three times greater than that observed between those two years.
The deposit gauge figures, which are subject to irregular fluctuations due to
varying weather conditions, show an overall rise in deposit of 16%. The trend lines,
obtained from using five year moving averages, show slight rises for the stations
at Bashley Road, Acton, Birkbeck Avenue, Greenford, and Longfield Depot and
decreases at the other stations. The dieselisation of the Western Region engines would
appear to have had a marked effect on the gauge at Park Avenue, Southall, as this
gauge has given successively lower deposits over the past five years.
CONTRAVENTIONS OF SMOKE CONTROL ORDERS
No formal action was necessary during 1966 to enforce Smoke Control Orders.
Advice was given in several cases where minor contraventions were observed.
DARK SMOKE FROM INDUSTRIAL PREMISES
Waste burning in the open remained the usual cause of complaint i n this case
but no formal action was required.
SMOKE FROM INDUSTRIAL CHIMNEYS
There were 47 complaints of smoke from industrial chimneys and 422
observations were made by the inspectors during 1966.
Smoke emission from oil-fired plant is commonly quickly overcome by adjustment
of controls but incinerators burning variable materials and often with unskilled
attendants are a more difficult problem. Even a costly incinerator with adequate
draught control and an afterburner has been found to emit smoke if the combustion
chamber is over-loaded.
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