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Measurement of Air Pollution
There have been some major changes in the measurement of atmospheric
pollution during the year.
The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Warren Spring
Laboratory asked this Council to participate in a national Survey of
atmcspheric pollution. The importance of an accurate survey of pollution
throughout the country was emphasized at a meeting of the conference
of bodies co-operating in the investigation of air pollution by the Minister
of Housing and Local Government. He said "We have now certainly
reached a stage where we need some national standard by which the
results of all these local measurements can be judge"
"The aim of this National Survey is to provide the objective standard
we need by which we can judge the progress made towards clean air
throughout the country. To get at this, measurements must be taken by
a representative sample of towns in various categories".
The National Survey consists of two parts
(1) A representative sample of some 120 towns. Measurements in these
towns are to be made in the following five types of district, so far as
examples are to be found in each town: -
(a) Residential area with high population density.
(b) Residential area with low population density.
(c) Industrial area.
(d) Commercial area.
(e) Smoke Control area.
(2) Any other towns now measuring Smoke and Sulphur Dioxide
pollution and who decide to do so in future.
In selecting the town for the representative samples all towns in
England and Wales were classified according to domestic coal consumption
per unit area, industrial coal consumption per unit area, national
ventilation, and total population: random samples were then taken.
The Public Health Committee agreed to take part in the Survey and
following consultations with scientific officers of Warren Spring Laboratory
it was decided that the two instruments at present in the borough
would be sufficient to give measurements of a residential area and a
smoke control area. It was further decided that the intrument which
has been operating since 1954 at the Municipal Offices was too near
No. 1 Smoke Control Area and it was therefore moved to Croft Lodge
Close, Snakes Lane, Woodford Green. The number 2 instrument at
Oakhall Court, Wanstead remains at the same site as it is on the
borders of No. 2 Smoke Control Area, and is in Smoke Control Area
No. 3 which becomes operative on the 1st October, 1962.
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