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67
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
The Clean Air Act, 1956 received the Royal Assent on the 5th July, 1956, but in
accordance with the Clean Air Act, 1956 (Appointed Day) Order, 1956 only
certain sections including the following were in operation during 1957:-
SMOKE FROM FURNACES
SECTION 3 (Requirement that new furnaces shall be so far as practicable smokeless)
requires all new furnaces (including domestic installations with a
maximum heating capacity of 55,000 or more B.Th.U's per hour) to be capable of
being operated continuously without emitting smoke when burning fuel of a type
for which they were designed. The installation of a new furnace must be
notified to the local authority. Plans and specifications for a new furnace
may be submitted to the local authority for approval. A total of 215 visits
was paid to premises using industrial boilers and furnaces.
SECTION 4 (Density meters, &c.) empowers the Minister to make Regulations
imposing in specified cases requirements as to the installation of apparatus to
indicate and/or record smoke density, or to facilitate the observation of smoke;
the adaptation of chimneys; the use and maintenance of the apparatus, and
making records available to the local authority The Minister has to date
made no Regulations under this section
SMOKE CONTROL AREAS
SECTION 11 (Smoke control areas) empowers a local authority to make an order
declaring the whole or any part of its district "a smoke control area" Subject
to any stated exemptions and limitations the emission of smoke in such an area,
on any day, is an offence unless the emission was caused by the burning of an
authorised fuel. Any such order comes into operation on the date specified
therein, which cannot, however, be earlier than six months from the date of the
Minister's confirmation of the Order.
An Order made by a local authority
(a) may make different provision for different parts of the smoke control
area;
(b) may limit the operation of this section to specified classes of
building in the area
(c) may exempt specified buildings or classes of building or specified
fireplaces or classes of fireplace in the area from the operation of
this section, upon such conditions as may be specified in the order.
The Minister may make orders exempting any class of fireplace if he is
satisfied that such fireplaces can be used for burning fuel other than author
ised fuel "without producing smoke or any substantial quantity of smoke", and
may also suspend or relax the operation of a smoke oontrol area order, although
he must (except in cases of emergency) first consult with the local authority.
By virtue of his powers under subsection (4) of this section the Minister has
made the Smoke Control Areas (Exempted Fireplaces) Order, 1957. This Order
which came into operation on the 8th of April, 1957, provides that fireplaces
specially designed or adapted for combustion of liquid fuel shall, provided
they are so installed, maintained and operated as to minimise the emission of
smoke, be exempted from the provisions of Section 11 of the Act. For the
purpose of this Order "fireplace includes any furnace, grate or stove whether
open or closed.