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Smoke Abatement.
During the year the Sanitary Inspector made 257 visits to industrial premises
concerning smoke emission, and to give advice generally on the working of the plants.
It was obvious that the management of the firms were aware of the national and local
interest in cleaner air, and a general all-round improvement has resulted. There is,
however, still room for considerable further improvement, which will no doubt follow
as supplies of smokeless fuel are more readily available and obsolete plants are modernised
in accordance with the provisions of the new Bill, (assuming it becomes law), which
allows owners 7 years to do so.
Among the large Industrial firms in Custom House and Silvertown it is gratifying
to note that an increasing number are making use of the facilities available at the Fuel
Research Station, Greenwich, for smoke abatement. There has been marked improvement by
firms acting on the advice given by the Research Station.
On the other hand, some firms are experiencing difficulty in recruiting suitable
stokers, particularly in the smaller plants which are still hand-fired. This is due in
the main to two factors:-
(a) Full employment - tendency of staff to leave on the slightest provocation,
including criticism of methods of stoking and
(b) Failure on the part of a few firms to recognise a stoker as a skilled
craftsman, capable by reason of his efficiency to save, in terms of fuel,
much more than his wages. The lowest rate of pay is all that many firms
offer to stokers and then express surprise at the lack of quantity and
quality of the response.
The Clean Air Bill.
The Clean Air Bill containing the Government's proposals for eliminating air
pollution, was published on the 26th July, 1955.
The object of the Bill and its four main purposes are contained in the
explanatory and financial memorandum which prefaces it. The Bill implements the
principal recommendations of the Beaver Comsittee, which were generally accepted as
satisfactory.
The four main purposes of the Bill are:-
(1) to prohibit the emission of dark smoke from chimneys, railway engines and
vessels, subject to certain qualifications.
(2) to prohibit the installation of new industrial furnaces, unless they are
capable, as far as practicable, of being operated without emitting smoke.
(3) to require that the emission of grit and dust from existing industrial
furnaces shall be minimised and that new industrial furnaces burning
pulverised fuel or large quantities of other solid fuel, shall be provided
with grit arresting equipment.
(4) to empower local authorities by order, subject to confirmation by the
Minister concerned, to declare "smoke controlled areas" in which emission
of smoke from chimneys may constitute an offence.
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