Originally broadcast on CHED radio - Date unknown

All "tin can" domestic incinerators should be abolished in Edmonton, says city aldermen. They support Dr. G.H. Ball, city health officer, who says domestic incinerators add to air pollution and should be done away with. Alderman Ivor Dent declares that a city ordinance should be enforced “to put these filthy smokestacks out of business." Wonderful. I am all for it, but before the City Administration starts shutting down the small back lane burners, why don't they take a look at some of the big offenders? Has the city health officer and the council no appetite for a head-on confrontation with the installations on the eastern perimeter of the city? Day after day, year in, and year out, these establishments belch their foul smoke and fumes out over the east end of the city. Summer nights are made most unpleasant for the thousands of residents of the adjacent areas because of the stench of these establishments. It seems almost unbelievable when these huge complexes were built that the city administration could not predict that within a few short years they would be surrounded by new homes, but then Edmonton City Hall has never been much on foresight. At the present time their plants are sitting on the eastern limit of home development. There is every reason to believe that soon the contractors will bypass the plants and build on the other side. With our prevailing winds, Heaven help the people who will eventually occupy homes downwind. Then too we have the power plant and the city’s own incinerator in the river valley. There must be some way to eliminate the exhaust from all such establishments. There must surely be some method of getting rid of the choking fumes which so often cover the east end. I would suggest that Dr. Dent and his associates on counsel look to the major offenders before they tackle the fellow who burns his garbage once a week. Alderman Frank Edwards said “anything that will keep the air cleaner over the city I'll go for." Well sir, start with the biggest offenders and work down to the back lane incinerators. That has to be the fastest solution to the air pollution problem.