London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Southgate 1962
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Southgate]
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Refuse Collection and Disposal
The Borough Engineer and Surveyor reports that a weekly
collection service was maintained throughout the year. The
quantity of refuse dealt with at the Refuse Disposal Works,
Barrowell Green, amounted to 21,669 tons, an increase of 716 tons
over the previous year.
During the year, 237 collections of garden refuse were carried
out. Some householders may still not be aware that for a
nominal charge, the Borough Engineer will also arrange for the
removal of bulky items of refuse (furniture, etc.) which the refuse
collectors are not required to collect in the course of their normal
duties.
The sale of salvage recovered from refuse realised an income of £15,153. Tonnages of the various materials were as follows:—
| tons | |
|---|---|
| Waste Paper | 1,326 |
| Non-ferrous metals | 3 |
| Rags | 28 |
| Tins | 510 |
| Bottles | 5 |
| Carpet | 25 |
| Scrap Iron | 94 |
| Gullet | 18 |
| Miscellaneous items | 22 |
The normal frequency of sweeping the streets in the Borough was as follows:—
| miles | |
|---|---|
| At least once daily | 6 |
| Three times weekly | 12 |
| Twice weekly | 60 |
| Once weekly | 6 |
Allotment holders again provided an outlet for the many
hundreds of lorry loads of leaves collected from the streets during
the autumn.
During the year, the Council entered into agreement with a
contractor for the provision of 250 litter bins, free of cost to the
Council, some of the bins to display advertisements. This is a
substantial increase in the number of litter bins hitherto sited in
the Borough, and it is hoped that the public will make good use of
them.
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