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32.
The Act became law on 31st December 1956 and by reason of its
significance and by the fact that it greatly extends the functions of
Public Health authorities, a summary of its purpose and measures required
to implement it may prove to be both interesting and instructive.
The main purposes of the Act are :
(a) to prohibit the emission of dark smoke from chimneys, railway engines
and vessels
(b) to prohibit the installation of new industrial furnaces which are
not capable, so far as is reasonably practicable, of being operated
without emitting smoke
(c) to minimise grit and dust from existing plant, and that new
industrial furnaces burning pulverised fuel, or substantial quantities
of other solid fuel, shall be provided with grit-arresting equipment
and
(d) to empower local authorities to determine "Smoke Control Areas".
As from the first appointed day, viz. 31st December 1956, three
sections of the Act became operative by Metropolitan Borough Councils, viz.
Sec 3, requiring new furnaces to be, so far as is practicable, smokeless.,
Section 11, which gives a local authority power to determine areas to be
'Smoke Control Areas'., and Section 18 which deals with smoke nuisances
from spoilbanks.
It will also be the duty of local authorities to enforce Regulations
made by the Minister concerning density meters and, under Section 24 of
the Act, local authorities will be held responsible for making bye-laws to
prevent the emission of smoke, so far as is practicable, from heating and
cooking appliances in new buildings.
Briefly this summary therefore portrays the objectives to be aimed for
and also the parts of the Act operative as from 31st December this year.
The introduction of the Act has already added to the duties of a
depleted staff of Public Health Inspectors. To effectively implement the
Act a full survey of all commercial and industrial undertakings and
certain areas of private dwellings to obtain information regarding the
types of appliances and fuels used was commenced in September
At the end of the year about half of the 2000-odd business premises had
been surveyed and during the year 394 smoke observations were made. This
important work is continuing. In addition, the volumetric measurements of
atmospheric pollution has been maintained throughout the year and reference
to the chart appended indicates that Shoreditch compares very favourably
with other Metropolitan Boroughs regarding the amount of atmospheric
pollution.