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
Richmond upon Thames 1971
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Richmond]
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The control of smoke emissions has, over the years, resulted in a remarkable reduction
in atmospheric pollution and the inhabitants of the Borough now enjoy and can take for
granted a reduced level of smoke in the air equalled only in the past by rural communities.
There are now five stations monitoring the amounts of smoke and sulphur dioxide
present in the air. These are located at Barnes, Hampton, Whitton, Teddington and
Kew. The first three are operated by the Health Department and the latter two by
Central Government Departments.
The following table gives the processed daily average figures over the year so far available for the nine years up to March, 1971:
| Year Ended March | STATION (results in microgrammes per cubic metre) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twickenham No. 1 | Twickenham No. 5 | Barnes No. 6 | ||||
| Smoke | SO2 | Smoke | SO2 | Smoke | SO2 | |
| 1963 | 98 | 181 | 98 | 187 | — | — |
| 1964 | 98 | 151 | 89 | 164 | 96 | 106 |
| 1965 | 74 | 140 | 67 | 139 | 77 | 120 |
| 1966 | 53 | 111 | 56 | 115 | 57 | 102 |
| 1967 | 33 | 100 | 40 | 105 | 48 | 119 |
| 1968 | 35 | 106 | 42 | 110 | 49 | 122 |
| 1969 | 37 | 103 | 45 | 110 | 41 | 105 |
| 1970 | 36 | 89 | 43 | 102 | 34 | 94 |
| 1971 | 34 | 109 | 38 | 113 | 33 | 126 |
The figures show the remarkable diminution in smoke levels reducing down to one
third of that of the earlier years. Unfortunately, the SO2 level has not reduced as in the
past and it is hoped that the increase in 1971 is not indicating a reversal of the trend.
It is thought that the high SO2 measurements are due mainly to the continued, if not
increased use of fuels having a comparatively high sulphur content. Such fuels are generally
burnt in furnaces of highly efficient large boilers. Many of these furnaces burn
heavy fuel oils having up to 3.5% of sulphur and give rise to emission of SO2 amounting
to hundreds of pounds per hour. An obvious method of reducing the concentration of
SO2 is by limiting the percentage of sulphur in fuels and this has been successfully tried
in other countries. A limitation of allowable sulphur in fuels is currently being advocated
for the large conurbations in this country.
Natural gas, being for all intents and purposes free of sulphur, is the ideal substitute
for sulphurous oils and coals and it is gratifying to note that a few of the larger furnaces
both old and new are now using gas in preference to other fuels. If this trend develops
one may anticipate a marked reduction in the levels of SO2 in the years to come. Contaminated
air affects the whole ecology and it is hoped as pollution reduces in the not too
distant future, that lichens which are inherently susceptible to air pollution, especially
SO2, will in time colonize and decorate the roof pitches in the area in addition to the very
small but encouraging colony of lichen on stones and brickwork scattered in the most
favoured sites about the borough.
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