Cleau Air

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32233, 27 February 1970, Page 12

Cleau Air

Sir, —"A. B. Cedarian” is referred to figure 2 of the: data issued by the Christchurch Regional Planning: i Authority in connection with its meeting of October 15 on domestic space heating. Typical winter smoke pollution data show that from 6 p in. until midnight London reaches a maximum concert-, ; tration of 700 micrograms | per cubic metre, while i Christchurch has a comparej tive figure of 800. On an aver- ■ age for the period considered, . |Christchurch had one and a, I half times the amount of smoke. Dr M. Katz, a world authority on biological dam-i .age by air pollution, warned years ago: “Christchurch would not be the garden city much longer if no action was l taken against the problem of I air pollution.” It is a hard and thankless task publicising the air pollution problems of a city when so many good people dogmatically, refuse to see the problem.—Yours, etc.,j PATRICK NEARY, I February 28. 1970 j Sir,—Petrol fumes are coni vertible to tapestry in .America. Building blocks in Japan are produced from ruhIbish. When Christchurch rid j itself of the central destructor -smokestack, hundreds of small I fry spawned at- ground or low iroof top level. They still, multiply poisoning the environment all the year, day and night. Mr Nixon’s fine programme for air-clearance included the elimination of these health-menacing contributions. Scientists’ and en- : gineers* findings are ignored i here. Any process, of wastei burning processes which fails ito eliminate fumes totally ; should be banned. No substitutes should be tolerated i for the proven best methods. (Are health and clean air not I worth the cost?—Yours, etc., WILL AND WAY. February 26, 1970. Sir,—it is to be hoped that, if the Clean Air Committee makes it impossible to burn wattle, manuka, pinus, wharf dunnage, etc., ■ on domestic hearths, it will also ban Botanic Garden rubbish fires in South Hagley Park smoking into Deans Avenue houses. The recipe for Christchurch smog is mix vehicle fumes, gases from funnels attached to roofs of thousands of houses with sewer connections, and wood and coal smoke. Removing the last ingredient would not change the danger of smog. It would change the colour, which would be the same as that containing the other ingredients on a misty summer day. Smoke dirt, like that on little boys’ necks, can be cleaned-up.- A recent news photograph shows they are just now washing it off Buckingham Palace.—Yours, etc.; A. B. CEDARIAN. February 26, 1970.