| AdminHistory | As early as the 1840s it was apparent that measures were necessary to reduce atmospheric pollution in urban areas. In 1843 the Select Committee on Smoke Prevention issued its report. Locally, the Borough Council's Watch Committee (CA-WAC/1/1) includes references to the police enforcing the Smoke Byelaws, in the 1840s (CA-WAC/1/1). The Sanitary Act of 1866 permitted sanitary authorities to take action against smoke nuisances. It was not until 1875 however, that attempts were made to control air pollution across the whole country. The Public Health Act of 1875 included reference to smoke nuisances.
The Public Health (Smoke Abatement) Act 1926 allowed local authorities to form joint committees to tackle air pollution from industry. Sheffield joined with Rotherham County Borough Council, Rotherham Rural District Council, Stocksbridge Urban District Council, Rawmarsh Urban District Council and Greasbrough Urban District Council to form the Sheffield, Rotherham and District Smoke Abatement Committee. The Committee used the services of the councils' smoke inspectors. It was disbanded in 1956 upon the withdrawal of Rotherham County Borough Council, presumably upon the passing of the Clean Air Act of that year.
In 1956 the Clean Air Act established 'smokeless zones' in which only smokeless fuels could be burned. The Clean Air Act of 1968 forced certain industries to use tall chimneys. Further controls followed in the ensuing decades, namely the Control of Pollution Act (1974), the Control of Smoke Pollution Act (1989) and the Environmental Protection Act (1990), the Environment Act (1995) and the National Air Quality Strategy (1997). |