View report page

Garden bonfires continue to be a frequent cause of complaint to the Department.
There is no direct prohibition of such fires, but action can be taken under Section 16
of the Clean Air Act, 1956, if they cause nuisance to the inhabitants of the
neighbourhood. Much could be done to reduce complaints by composting as much
of the rubbish as possible, and confining fires to reasonable times and when weather
conditions are suitable. Advice on composting of garden refuse, etc., is available
from the Department.
There has been considerable support for smoke control from the general public,
and the number of objections or criticisms has been remarkably small. There have,
however, been some criticisms regarding availability of particular fuels. Before the
Minister will agree to the confirmation of a Smoke Control Order, he must be satisfied
that adequate supplies of smokeless fuel are available in the area. The rapid technological
changes in the gas industry have meant reduced quantities of gas cokes, but
additional supplies of smokeless fuels are being made available from the National
Coal Board and other manufacturers of carbonised fuels. It is to be hoped that the
increased production of these smokeless fuels will be expedited to deal adequately
with existing and new commitments.
Many people still refer to smokeless zones. The areas are Smoke Control Areas
and the effect of a Smoke Control Order is to require fuel users (householders) within
the area to burn "authorised" fuels, or to use plant capable of burning other fuels
smokelessly. The authorised fuels are: anthracite, cokes, manufactured smokeless
fuels, e.g. Warmglo, Rexco, Coalite, etc., Welsh dry steam coal, electricity, gas and
oil. The Order deals only with fuels and the emission of smoke from chimneys.
Industrial Atmospheric Pollution
Although the borough contains several large industrial concentrations the
amount of smoke from chimneys in these areas is comparatively small. The principal
sources of pollution are processes which are registered by the Alkali Inspectorate
under the provision of the Alkali, etc. Works Regulations Act, 1906. The processes
originally covered by this Act were mainly chemical plants but since that date the
control has extended to a wide range of industrial processes. These processes usually
present complex chemical problems and are known as "registered processes". They
may be the whole activity of a factory or merely one of several within the one
establishment. The enforcement of the provisions of the Act is the responsibility of
the Alkali Inspector with whom we maintain a close liaison concerning all registered
processes in the borough.
There is a wide range of industries within the borough, many of which have
their own particular problems of combustion, steam raising or processing. Of these
the registered processes form only a small part, but even so they cover a surprisingly
wide range. They include works where the following substances are manufactured,
or where specified processes are carried on: aluminium, arsenic, benzene, bisulphite,
bromine, cadmium, ceramic, chlorine, copper, fluorine, hydrofluoric acid, hydrogen
75