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During the year the Council approved the setting up in the Borough of a
further three measuring stations designed to provide for the measurement of
fluctuations in pollution occurring from day to day, particularly with changes in
meteorological conditions, and the amount of smoke in the atmosphere. The
stations are to be located respectively at the Town Hall, Shrewsbury House and
Eltham Baths.
This scheme for the installation of additional instruments for measuring smoke
is complementary to the earlier scheme. In this way the Fuel Research Station
hope that the Metropolitan area will be fairly well covered by continuous surveys
relating to three of the most significant air pollutants.
It is also considered that the setting up of these stations will assist research,
not only by showing the atmospheric condition in London, but also its relation to
smoke in the research now going on with regard to cancer of the bronchus. In
this way information of real value to medical authorities and others can be obtained.
Air Pollution : Industrial Premises.
Smoke observations carried out on behalf of the Council, particularly in relation
to several local factories, were continued through the year. This year there were
fewer complaints of industrial smoke nuisances.
Below is given brief details of the complaints.
Complaints of clouds of smoke emitted from a large riverside factory which
were stated to be a nuisance to residents on the northern bank of the river were
received during the year. As a result of representations to the factory management
an improvement in the method of burning the material being disposed of at this
factory has been effected.
Several smoke observations were made during the year at an Abbey Wood
factory which had been the cause of complaints of smoke nuisance from local
residents in previous years. After one observation when a nuisance was observed,
the Council's Smoke Inspector served a notice to remedy the nuisance. Smoke was
being emitted from a steel stack about 45 feet high which was attached to a shell
type furnace in which hessian covered scrap cable was being burnt. A Baghouse
plant which is designed to remove the greater proportion of solids from the smoke
produced in the refining of non-ferrous metals, has now been erected and is working
satisfactorily.
In previous years complaints have been received of black smoke and grit being
emitted from a factory in the area of the docks. The firm's action during the year
in installing modern low ram stokers has effected a distinct improvement.
A further contribution to cleaner air locally was made during the year when
two large local public undertakings converted their furnaces to oil firing. Teething
troubles were experienced by the stokers until they became accustomed to the
working of the new plant.
Fewer complaints were received during the year from other factories which in
previous years had been the cause of complaints of smoke, dust and grit nuisances.
Mortuary Facilities.
On the instructions of the Coroner all post-mortem cases are sent to the public
mortuary at Lewisham in the case of Eltham persons, and to Deptford in the case
of Woolwich, Plumstead and Abbey Wood persons.
During the year 261 Woolwich cases went to Deptford, and 131 Eltham cases
to Lewisham.
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