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I should like to acknowledge the assistance received from the Director of the Scientific Branch
Laboratory of the Greater London Authority who arranged for deposit gauge samples to be analysed,
and to thank the members of his staff who undertook the analysis of the samples other than those
marked * which were undertaken by the National Coal Board Research Laboratory.
New Furnaces
Section 3 (3) of the Clean Air Act, 1956, requires notification to the Local Authority of the
intention to install any new industrial or domestic furnace with a capacity of 55,000 or more
BTU/hr. Thirty-seven notifications of installations were received; twelve were gas fired, 18 were
fired by light oil (which has a sulphur content less than that of solid fuel); and seven by heavy oil
(which has a sulphur content higher than that of solid fuel).
No applications for prior approval under Section 3 (2) of the Act were received.
Dark Smoke (Permitted Periods) Regulations 1958
These regulations lay down the maximum period for which dark and black smoke may be
emitted from furnaces. Thirty-four observations were made and two contraventions of the Regulations
were noted from the same chimney. The attention of the Company concerned was drawn to the
need for remedial action and as a result a new boiler has been fitted. No legal action was taken.
Height of Chimneys
Section 10 of the Clean Air Act 1956, requires that plans of new industrial buildings deposited
for by-law approval be rejected if the height of the chimney shown on the plan is insufficent to
prevent smoke, grit, dust or gases from being prejudicial to health or a nuisance. This is the only
provision in the Act specifically directed towards reducing the harmful effect of gases, e.g. sulphur
dioxide, emitted from chimneys. There are a number of loopholes in the section and undoubtedly
amendment will be necessary if the concentration of SO2 in the atmosphere is to be reduced or even
maintained at the present level.
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