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ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
During 1958, there were two stations for the measurement of smoke and sulphur
dioxide in the atmosphere by the volumetric method. The sites were respectively
Brentford Baths and a room on the second floor of a building adjacent to the
Town Hall. In addition, two deposit gauges, one at the Metropolitan Water Board
Works, Kew Bridge, and the other in Chiswick House Grounds, were used for the
measurement of grit deposits from the atmosphere.
Each month reports of recordings and other relevant particulars were submitted
to the Fuel Research Station of the Department of Scientific and Industrial
Research, for comparison with the rest of the country, and assistance was
available from the officers of the Fuel Research Station if special problems
had arisen concerning readings of results or the breakdown of equipment.
Bulletins from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research were
received regularly and studied in the Public Health Department so that results
could be compared with those in other areas. A brief summary of the year1' s
recordings is to be found in tables XII and XIII at the end of the book, and
in graphs "C" and "E" which have been prepared from these figures.
Graph "D" shows the monthly rise and fall in the pollution figures for
Brentford and Chiswick, also Leeds, Central London, and Lerwick. These latter
places have been chosen in order to illustrate the varying amounts of pollution
from a virtually smokeless atmosphere, i.e. Lerwick, to an industrial area, i.e.
Leeds.
During the year, 103 visits or observations were made in connection with
cases in which it was alleged that atmospheric pollution was taking place.
Work was carried out where necessary, and advice on stoking methods given occasionally.
Clean Air Act, 1956
In 1953, the Government appointed a Committee on Air Pollution. In the
report of this Committee certain areas were defined as "black" and Greater London
was one of the areas included.
The Committee on Air Pollution recommended the establishment of Smoke Control
Areas and during the year under review the Council decided to make investigations
with a view to establishing a Smoke Control Area, and with this object in view
appointed Smoke Control Enquiry Officer who commenced duties with the department
in October, 1958. The area chosen to be surveyed was in Chiswick, comprising
300 acres and bounded by Park Road (east side), from the junction of the Cromwell
Road Extension to Burlington Lane and thence from Burlington Lane, eastward on
the north side of the Southern Railway line to the River Thames boundary. Thence
northwards to the northern boundary of Edensor Gardens, along the south side of
Corney Road, across Burlington Lane, along the northern perimeter of Chiswick
House Grounds to the junction with the Cromwell Road Extension.
This area contains some 706 dwellings and was selected because a large
proportion are Council and private houses which do not require extensive adaptation
and there are no major redevelopment proposals or necessity for slum clearance.
There is only one large industrial firm concerned, and the area could be
readily extended.
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