Clean Air Law To Curb Pollution By Factories

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30369, 19 February 1964, Page 17

Clean Air Law To Curb Pollution By Factories

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

SYDNEY, February 18

Regulations to control air pollution in New South Wales came into force Last Friday. Until now the State’s three industrial cities—Sydney, Newcastle and Port Kembla —were heavily polluted, even by American standards.

I In Sydney, the dust fallout (after the emission of partly-burned fuel from smokestacks) has reached more than 20 tons a square mile a month—far above the level at which the housewife I begins complaining. In Port Kembla and Newcastle, the fall-ouit has been often four, and even five, times as high. There is now a prospect of improvement, but it will cost companies millions of pounds. The steel industry faces the heaviest expenditure. It has waited for the new regulations to be decided on before converting older plants. Industrial leaders said they would accept the provisions of the new Clean Air Act and fek that administrators would exercise discretion in its enforcement.

AH industries which can be regarded as major potential air pollution sources are required to apply for a licence. The Clean Air Act will control pollution by regulating the amount of impurities which can be discharged by factory chimneys. The Air Pollution Control Branch will carry out day-by-day tests and conduct surveys.

A spokesman for the Chamber of Manufacturers raid a considerable amount of money, running into millions, will have to be spent on smog-control equipment.