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16
In the case of the deposit gauges (total deposited solids) the deposit
at Oglethorpe School, Cranham, and the Council Offices, Billet Lane,
Hornchurch, often approximate quite closely. The same remark is
justified in the case of the SO2 readings at St. George's Hospital, Hornchurch,
and the Redden Court site in Harold Wood.
The apparatus at The Vicarage, North Oekendon, naturally enough
gives the best reading unaffected as it must be by any material pollution
in the immediate vicinity.
Local position.
Complaints were received during the year from householders in
respect of various industrial, institutional and other sources of pollution,
and in general whatever the legal justification may have been, considerable
practical justification did exist for the most part.
Our local pollution is, in view of the nature of the area, principally
caused by domestic smoke and drift from outside areas. The inward
drift can only radically be affected by anti-pollution measures taken in
other areas, especially in the line of the prevailing wind. The domestic
smoke represents a domestic problem, influenced it is true by a variety
of considerations, such as whether smokeless fuel is available in adequate
quantity and of a suitable type, whether the domestic consumers consider
that the price is within their means, and whether the type of grate
in the particular house is in fact capable of dealing with smokeless fuel.
The position is largely controlled by the national fuel policy and the
degree to which the public can be persuaded to accept atmospheric
pollution as a menace. So far as our reports show, and I am speaking
broadly, there has been no sensational improvement for the better over
the past few years, although it might be argued that with the increasing
domestic development of the district, even our lack of increased pollution
might reflect a relative decrease. I think, however, that smoke
abatement is still generally regarded almost as someone else's problem.
Future programme.
This so far as we are concerned locally will proceed without any
great variation. You have agreed to co-operate with the Department
of Scientific and Industrial Research, in making a special pollution
analysis at times of unusual fog prevalence, and this, allied to the figures
available from our present programme, will continue to be utilised in
helping to build up the National Atmospheric Pollution picture on the
lines advocated by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
It is clear that the degree to which the Government consider practical
implementation of the "Beaver" report possible will from a longterm
point of view determine how soon our atmosphere is going to
become appreciably and permanently clear. However desirable it
might be, it does not seem to me that any speedy solution to a problem
of this kind is possible, but if a definite long-term solution is made available,
it will represent a big step forward and one with which in the
intervening period we shall have to be content. Atmospheric pollution
is a national problem, capable only of a national remedy, but susceptible
in some measure to local influence.