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1. Altering an existing fireplace including fitting gas ignition.
2. Replacing a fireplace where necessary by another fireplace or some
other means of cooking or heating,
3. Any necessary incidental work.
If you want to change from coal to gas or electricity you will be able to
do so with the help of grants.
The Council's inspectors will be able to help you with the choice of
appliances and smokeless fuels and to tell you where you can get advice about
the various types available.
WILL IT BE WORTH IT?
All this may mean some changes and it may cost you something.
But it is going to be worth it. Your home will be cleaner and stay clean
longer. There will be less need for laundering painting and decorating. Your
neighbourhood will be a lot less smoky and you will find that new grates save
money because they give out more heat from less fuel.
You will be helping the Clean Air Campaign. The plan is that smoke control
areas will spread and that smoke and grime from chimneys everywhere will be
steadily reduced until our cities and towns are cleaner, brighter and healthier
places to live in than ever before."
The Chairman of the Public Health Committee Councillor F. W. Marshall, and the Chief
Public Health Inspector are the Council's representatives on the London and Home Counties
Clean Air Advisory Council and the Standing Conference of Co operating Bodies set up by
the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research with which Leyton is co-operating in
the investigation of atmospheric pollution. Daily observations continued throughout the
year. The recording apparatus operated by the Public Health Inspectors is situated in the
offices in Sidmouth Road a summary of these observations is reported to the Public
Health Committee quarterly. The tables which follow in the statistical section show the
results recorded during the 12 months ended March 1959, divided into summer and winter
periods. The average results for the 7 year period ended March 1958, are also shown for
comparison. Concentration of smoke is expressed in milligrams per 100 cubic metres and
sulphur dioxide in parts per 100 million.
The average concentration of smoke for the year ended 31st March. 1959, was 23.5
milligrams per 100 cubic metres compared with 21 5 milligrams for the previous eight
years an increase of 9 3% whilst the concentration of sulphur dioxide for the same
period was 8.7 parts per 100 million compared with 6 9 parts for the previous eight
years an increase of 26.1%.
The practical measures taken by Public Health Inspectors to mitigate pollution of
the atmosphere by smoke and grit include the taking of smoke observations of factory
chimneys: inspection of boiler installations, advice to boiler operatives on proper use
of fuel and methods of stoking and discussions with managerial staff; 100 such investigations
were carried out during the year.
It was necessary for the Chief Public Health Inspector to carry out special investigations
into numerous complaints received from various sources concerning nuisances
arising from excessive emissions of grit and dust from the Gas Works in Lea Bridge Road,
and comprehensive reports on this matter were submitted to the Public Health Committee.
Consequent upon these reports the Council made several representations to the North Thames
Gas Board and in October the situation was considered so grave as to warrant a special
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