View report page

No exemptions to Smoke Control Orders have been granted
except in the case of premises likely to be demolished in the
near future. Exemptions permitting the use of sticks and paper
for kindling have not been necessary as gas is readily available
throughout the district and where a householder rooted
objection to the use of gas, electricity is invariably available
as an alternative.
(b) Height of Chimneys.
Under Section 10 of the Clean Air Act, 1956 plans of new
industrial buildings deposited for byelaw approval must be
rejected if the height of any chimney shown on the plan is
insufficient to prevent smoke, grit, dust or gases from becoming
prejudicial to health or a nuisance. This is the only
provision in the Clean Air Act for reducing the harmful effects
of gases, e.g. sulphur dioxide, emitted from chimneys, but the
section is so full of loopholes that its full potential is not
being realised. Efforts are being made by the Council and the
West Middlesex Clean Air Co-ordinating Committee acting through
the Association of Municipal Corporations to obtain amending
legislation so that these powers can make their maximum con
tribution to clean air.
Plans submitted for byelaw approval are passed to me by
the Engineer and Surveyor for a decision on this particular
point.
During the year seven plans were examined for this purpose
and in six instances it was necessary to ask for a taller chimney
than was shown on the plan.
(c) New Furnaces.
Eleven notifications under Section 3(3) of the Clean Air
Act were received regarding the installation of new furnaces;
nine were oil-fired, one gas-fired and one fired by solid fuel.
No applications for prior approval under Section 3(2) of
the Act were received.
(d) The Dark Smoke (Permitted Periods) Regulations, 1958.
These regulations lay down the maximum period for which
lark and black smoke may be emitted from industrial furnaces.
29