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AIR POLLUTION
Continuing progress was made during the year with the implementation
of the Council's Clean Air policy. The No. 3 Order came into
operation on the 1st October; the No. 4 Order was made on the 22nd
April, confirmed on the 30th August and will come into operation on
the 1st October, 1964; the No. 5 Order was made on the 22nd July,
confirmed on the 11th December and will also come into operation on
the 1st October, 1964.
The survey of premises in the No. 6 area proceeded steadily, an
attempt being made to interview the occupier of each of the premises
within the areas concerned. This necessitated many evening or Saturday
calls, but I feel that it is largely due to this personal contact and the
use of the excellent mobile demonstration units of the Coal Utilisation
Council and the Solid Smokeless Fuels Federation that there has once
again been a complete absence of formal objections to the formation of
smoke control areas. In all, 1,720 visits were made to discuss the implications
of proposed Smoke Control Orders, 614 visits to inspect
adaptations to fireplaces eligible for grants, 598 visits were made for
other explanatory purposes and 1,534 ineffective calls were made.
At the end of 1963, some 865.6 acres (one-fourth of the U.D.) were
covered by operative orders affecting 4,569 domestic properties and 145
commercial, industrial or other premises. Adaptations were being done
in another 320.2 acres involving 1,778 domestic properties and 101 other
premises. Fifteen infringements of Smoke Control Orders were dealt
with by informal letter and explanation, as all were first offences.
The observations of industrial chimney emissions has continued as
part of the normal duties of the Public Health Inspectors, hampered,
unfortunately, by depleted staff. One emission in excess of the Permitted
Period Regulations was observed and the occupiers of the factory concerned
were fined £5 with £3.3.0 costs. Trouble was experienced in
connection with a small joinery business where trade waste was burned
in an open yard creating a nuisance to neighbouring residents. Proceedings
for contravention of the Bye-law regulating the hours of such burning
resulted in a fine of £5 with £3.3.0 costs and, on a separate application,
a Nuisance Order under the Public Health Act was granted.
Examination of plans of new chimneys to serve industrial furnaces
has again resulted in increases in the proposed chimney heights being
required to prevent a rise in ground level pollution. The publication of
the long-awaited government memorandum on this subject was of
assistance in the difficult task of determining the minimum height of
chimneys, but many local factors still need to be assessed particularly
regarding chimneys in the vicinity of tall buildings.
Measurement of air pollution has continued throughout the year
as part of the nation-wide survey undertaken by local authorities in
co-operation with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
The daily concentrations of smoke and sulphur di-oxide were measured
at three sites and the monthly deposition of dust, grit and other particles
were recorded at two sites. The details are given in the following tables.
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