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If you burn coal on an open fire you cannot avoid making smoke. It happens
when you light the fire and whenever you put on another shovelful of coal.
Industrial furnaces work at much higher temperatures and if properly
designed and operated they need make very little smoke indeed. But not all of
them do this yet.
"WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT SMOKE?
The Clean Air Act, 1956. does two main things:
1. It bans "dark smoke" from chimneys everywhere, except when it is
really unavoidable. Although houses are subject to the ban. they
seldom produce "dark smoke"; so the ban will apply chiefly to
factories and commercial buildings.
2. It empowers local authorities to ban all smoke from the chimney
of any building, including houses, in districts known as "Smoke
Control Areas"
SMOKE CONTROL AREAS
To create a smoke control area your local council must first make an order
setting out the extent of the area. The order will be advertised in the local
Press, and notices will be put up. The notice will explain where a map of the
area can be seen, and what people should do if they wish to object to the order.
The Council's order will need to be confirmed by the Minister of Housing
and Local Government. If any person affected lodges an objection the Minister
will hold a public inquiry before deciding. No order operates until six months
after confirmation. But once it is operating the order means that you must stop
making smoke.
If you already burn smokeless fuels, or use gas or electricity, you need
do nothing more, but if you burn coal or wood you will have to burn smokeless
fuel instead. You can still have an open fire with smokeless fuel if you have
the right kind of grate.
There are many of these fuels - coke, anthracite, dry steam coal, "Coalite",
"Rexco", Phurnacite", "Cleanglow", "Phimax", and, of course, gas and electricity.
Oil-burning appliances can also be used on certain conditions.
GRANTS AVAILABLE TO YOU
You may need to alter or replace your present grates to burn smokeless fuel.
Don't do anything now. The Council's inspectors will shortly be visiting you
to ask what work needs to be done to the coal-burning fires you use regularly.
If the Council agree that the work is necessary they will pay you, or the
landlord if he does the work, a grant at least equal to 14/- in every pound of
the cost (unless your house was built or converted after the date of the Act
5th July, 1956).
If you want a more expensive fireplace or cooker you can have it. The Council
will pay you their grant towards the cost of work which they would be prepared to
approve, leaving you to meet the extra cost yourself.
Grants may be paid towards the cost of:-
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