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These revised arrangements, which will undoubtedly increase the cost of future
Smoke Control Areas, were agreed in principle by the Council on the 9th January,
1964, when it was also agreed that the present smoke control schedule remain unaltered.
Publicity relating to Clean Air has continued to be widely circulated and lectures
have been given to organisations within the Borough. The mobile Exhibition Unit
of the Solid Smokeless Fuels Federation visited the district again and was stationed at
various sites within the Smoke Control Areas Nos. 7 and 8 during a two-week period.
Atmospheric Pollution
Other contributions to the attainment of a smoke free atmosphere are secured
through the operation of the remainder of the Clean Air Act and regulations made
thereunder.
Factory chimneys are kept under observation and any emission of dark smoke
which exceeds the permissible limits in the Dark Smoke (Permitted Periods) Regulations
is immediately dealt with. The discharge of dark smoke from a chimney usually
arises from mechanical mishap rather than from inadequate plant, or inefficient boiler
management. In cases of obdurate technical difficulty, boiler plant owners can avail
themselves of advice from the National Industrial Fuel Efficiency Service.
The Act requires that new furnaces (except those of domestic capacity) must, as
far as practicable, be capable of being operated without emitting smoke when burning
fuel of a type for which the furnace is designed; it is an offence to install such furnaces
without previously notifying the local authority, but whilst notification is obligatory,
the submission of plans for approval is optional.
A further objective designed to ensure adequate dispersion of flue emissions
lequires that when building plans for industrial premises incorporating the construction
of a chimney for carrying smoke, grit, dust or gases are submitted for byelaw approval,
the council must be satisfied that the height of the chimney will be sufficient to prevent
nuisance. Decisions in some cases raise difficult technical problems. Aesthetic considerations
sometimes are a complicating factor, when a high chimney technically
necessary may be unduly obtrusive in the locality. Guidance is offered where necessary
and differences of opinion are usually reconciled.
The Council will make a notable contribution to the reduction of atmospheric
pollution when early in 1964 the old refuse destructor will cease to be used.
Nuisances from smoke, apart from that emitted from chimneys, is a problem in
all urban areas in which pockets of industry are situated. In September the Council
adopted Section 47 of the Middlesex County Council Act, 1961. This prohibits the
emission of dark smoke from industrial premises and is designed to prevent nuisance
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