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REFUSE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL
Under Section 72 of the Public Health Act, 1936, a local authority may, and
if required by the Minister shall, undertake the removal of house refuse. Other
provisions relating to refuse collection and disposal are made under other sections
of Part II of the Act.
The Civic Amenities Act, 1967, makes provision, inter alia, for the orderly
disposal of disused vehicles and equipment and other rubbish. The Removal of
Refuse Regulations, 1967, made under Section 23 of this Act, empowers local
authorities to remove anything in their area, other than a motor vehicle, which
is abandoned without lawful authority on any land in the open air or on any other
land forming part of a highway.
Powers to deal with accumulations of rubbish on a vacant site in a built-up area
are provided under Section 34 of the Public Health Act, 1961. Under Section 51
of this Act, authority is given for the provision of receptacles for refuse and litter
in any street or public place, and the emptying of such receptacles.
Certain provisions in respect of refuse are also contained in the Middlesex
County Council Act, 1956.
Refuse collection is a function of the Department of the Borough Engineer and
Surveyor and is directly provided by the council staff and vehicles. Over 250 men
operating 46 vehicles are employed on refuse collection. The present fleet of
vehicles comprises a mixed variety of types but it is intended ultimately to use only
the large compression type vehicles to cope with the bulky, lightweight refuse of
the present day. It has been agreed that due to the longer haul required to the
new Greater London Council Deephams Incineration Plant, new vehicles to be
purchased in 1969 are to be of fifty cubic yards capacity instead of thirty-five cubic
yards as at present.
The function of refuse disposal was transferred to the Greater London Council
under Schedule XI of the London Government Act, 1963.
There were two refuse disposal incineration plants in the borough, one at
Carterhatch Lane, Enfield, and the other, soon to be demolished, at Montagu Road,
Edmonton, N.18. In addition, a bulk refuse transfer station is sited at Barrowell
Green, N.21.
Work continued on the construction of the large new refuse disposal works
at Deephams for the Greater London Council. This plant will be one of the largest
and most modern refuse disposal works in the world and will serve several adjoining
boroughs in addition to Enfield.
I am grateful to the Borough Engineer and Surveyor for much of the information
contained in this report.
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