XN000022-1975-02-01 — Page 2

1 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 1975

CLEAN AIR REGULATIONS PROVE EFFECTIVE LESS II USTRIAL AIR POLLUTION ÎN PAST TWO YEARS

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THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ABLE TO APPROVE ONLY HALF THE APPLICATIONS MADE IN THE PAST TWO YEARS FOR THE ALTERATION AND INSTALLATION OF FUEL-BURNING PLANT UNDER THE CLEAN AIR ORDINANCE AND ITS REGULATIONS. THE OTHER 50 PER CENT WERE NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LEGISLATION.

HOWEVER, THIS APPARENTLY HIGH REJECTION RATE HAS RESULTED IN A VISIBLE IMPROVEMENT IN INDUSTRIAL AIR POLLUTION, ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT'S AIR POLLUTION CONTROL OFFICER, MR. DAVID NEWBURY.

+IT IS ALSO AN INDICATION OF THE HIGH STANDARDS SET BY THE GOVERNMENT IN ITS PROGRAMME TO COMBAT THIS FORM OF POLLUTION, KR. NEWBURY SAID TODAY.

HE SAID THE CLEAN AIR (FURNACES, OVENS AND CHIMNEYS) (INSTALLATION AND ALTERATION) REGULATIONS WHICH CAME INTO FORCE JUST OVER TWO YEARS AGO, HAD PROVED VERY EFFECTIVE. IN THE TWO YEARS THE REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN IN FORCE, THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S AIR POLLUTION CONTROL UNIT HAS PROCESSED 345 APPLICATIONS AND RE-APPLICATIONS - AND APPROVED 144 OF THEM.

THE REGULATIONS LIMIT THE PERMISSIBLE AMOUNT OF POLLUTION- PRODUCING SMOKE EMITTED FROM FUEL-BURNING PLANT.

+THE REGULATIONS CARRY A FINE OF UP TO $5,000 FOR EVADING THE LAW,+ MR. NEWBURY SAID, +SO FAR THERE HAVE BEEN 47 PROSECUTIONS FOR THIS AND 45 OF THEM HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL.

+THE FINES IMPOSED HAVE RANGED FROM $100 TO $4,100, AND THEY TOTAL $18,000.+

MR. NEWBURY ADDED: THE LENGTHY AND FORBIDDING TITLE OF THE REGULATIONS HAS TENDED TO DEFLECT ATTENTION FROM AN EFFECTIVE SET REGULATIONS FOR THE REDUCTION OF AERIAL POLLUTION.

+PREVIOUSLY, THE ANTI-AIR POLLUTION BATTLE HAD TO BE FOUGHT BY INSPECTORS TRACKING DOWN OFFENDERS BY VISUAL EVIDENCE AND CONSTANT SURVEILLANCE.

+THE 1972 REGULATIONS PROVIDE A MORE POSITIVE AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH RIGHT AT THE DESIGN STAGE, AND ENSURE THAT ANY FUEL-BURNING PLANT SHOULD BE SO ENGINEERED THAT THE EMISSION OF AERIAL POLLUTIONS IS REDUCED TO THE MINIMUM CONSISTENT WITH OPTIMUM OPERATIONAL AND ECONOMIC LIMITATIONS.+

MR. NEWBURY POINTED OUT THAT THE REGULATIONS MADE IT MANDATORY FOR ANY OWNER OR OCCUPIER INTENDING TO INSTALL NEW FUEL-USING PLANT OR ALTER EXISTING PLANT TO SUBMIT FULL PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR LABOUR.

+THE AIR POLLUTION CONTROL UNIT THEN CONSIDERS THE PROPOSALS AND DECIDES ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE DESIGN, HE SAID.

+ONLY PROPOSALS THAT ARE OF GOOD DESIGN AND MINIMUM AIR POLLUTION ARE GRANTED AN APPROVAL CERTIFICATE.