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be increased. Neither of these statements about sulphur is correct.
The introduction of smoke control would be expected to cause a
decrease in the emission of sulphur oxides by anything up to about
25 per cent. depending on the proportion of coal used in the area
for domestic heating. The reasons are set out below.
The major change in the use of fuel brought about by setting
up a smoke control area is the replacement of coal for domestic
heating by coke, whether ordinary gas-works coke or the more
freely-burning low temperature cokes. For the same standard of
comfort every ton of coal previously used will be replaced by
15 to 16 cwt. of coke. Average coke contains the same percentage
of sulphur as average coal, and the same proportion of this sulphur
is retained in the ash of both fuels. The change from coal to coke
would, therefore, be expected to produce a decrease of 20 to 25
per cent in the amount of oxides of sulphur emitted.
On the domestic side, this decrease is accentuated by a
proportion of householders who meet the requirements of a Smoke
Control Order by changing from open coal fires to electricity,
gas, or oil. Electricity produces no oxides of sulphur where it is
being used so that for any coal replaced by electricity the
reduction in emission of those compounds is 100 per cent. For gas
and oil the corresponding figures are about 97 and 95 per cent
respectively, taking into account the organic sulphur content of
the gas, and the sulphur in the grades of oil used for domestic
heating.
From these considerations it is probable that for a purely
residential smoke control area, the decrease in sulphur pollution
is nearer 25 per cent than 20 per cent.
Finally, but not least in importance, it must be emphasized
that in addition to the decrease in emission of sulphur dioxide
brought about by smoke control, as described above, the removal of
smoke from the air lets through more of the sun's heat which sets
up convection and so increases the dispersion of other pollutants
harmlessly into the upper air. In the absence of smoke there is
less danger of high concentrations of sulphur dioxide building up,
than when smoke is present,"
Smoke From Furnaces
Section 3 of the Act deals with the installation of new
furnaces and the requirement that new furnaces shall be so far as
possible smokeless. During the year 1962, 4 applications to instal
furnaces were received and approved.
PEST DESTRUCTION
Rats and Nice
During the last 15 years considerable strides have been made
in the methods used for the eradication of these vermin. Experiments
are constantly being made by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food and two years ago a length of the Borough's sewers was
treated by them with a new type of poison. The result of that
experiment was so successful that today this poison is being used
in sewers throughout the country.
The introduction of the use of the poison "Warfarin", which
is used when disinfesting residential and business premises has
meant a considerable saving of time and labour because it is not
necessary when using this poison to carry out pre-baiting.
The service provided by the department in respect of
residential premises is free but work carried out at business
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