As industry developed in Newcastle, so did the incidence of pollution. The problems associated with water pollution will be dealt with elsewhere. This chapter will give an outline of the local response to air pollution.
Joseph Parry described Newcastle in 1859 as a town where "… the streets were strewn with coal dust all day and every day", and as industry expanded in the following decades, the problem only got worse. People knew that the opening of B.H.P. in 1915 would exacerbate the problem, however "… local business welcomed the steelworks and workers were only too glad to accept its jobs. Pollution was seen as a necessary price of progress."
While the Newcastle Morning Herald (NMH) remained silent on the issue, the Newcastle Sun was prepared to discuss the problem. In 1921 it observed that "[s]moke pours from the factory and workshop, unchecked, and hangs over the city and suburbs like a pall. Day and night the Steel Works and subsidiary industries contribute to the great cloud which contaminates the atmosphere and chokes the nostrils."
Fifteen months later an economic downturn resulted in a closure of the steel works for almost a year and the Sun changed its perspective. Responding to a rumour that production was to recommence, it remarked that "[i]t will be a glad day when the reverberating rumble of the rolling mills is heard again, where now smokeless stacks arise from a dead city of steel, and thousands of depressed men eat the bread of idleness." In short, the social cost of eliminating pollution was deemed to be too high.
As Newcastle gradually recovered from the Depression in the mid to late 1930's, the level of pollution inevitably increased. By October 1937, the Sun stated that "…a great many Newcastle people, especially those living near the seats of the smoke nuisance, scarcely dare open their windows".
By the 1860s industry in Sydney had grown to such an extent that air pollution was a huge problem, so much so that the NSW Parliament in 1866 enacted a law for "…abating the nuisance arising from the smoke of furnaces." In 1902 it was replaced by the Smoke Nuisance Abatement Act which remained in force until 1961. The Local Government Act of 1919 also gave local municipalities the "…power to control and regulate furnaces and chimneys, and the emissions of smoke." The various municipal councils in Newcastle, however, felt constrained in opposing any new industries that would provide work, no matter what pollution they were likely to cause. At a time when thousands of Novocastrians were living in poverty, the inconvenience caused by smoke and dust was considered a minor price to pay if it meant an escape from poverty for many families.
By 1941 there was virtually no unemployment in Newcastle and attitudes had begun to change. In response to complaints from nearby residents and a recommendation from their health inspector, the Newcastle City Council voted to take legal action against Newbold's Refractories for creating excessive smoke. Two months later the company was found guilty of having made insufficient attempts to reduce smoke and as a result they were fined a small amount. The fine could have been larger, and maybe would have, if not for the manager of the company arguing that Newbold's was operating at full capacity and that most of the output was for the war effort.
This argument continued to be put forward for the duration of the war. In 1942 there were complaints from residents in Mayfield, prompting Newcastle City Council to debate whether or not it should prosecute firms for excess smoke if they were involved in production for the war effort. Some councillors said that the war effort should take precedence over everything else, but a majority decided that the council would prosecute "…if no attempt was being made to mitigate the smoke nuisance." The issue came up in council again in March following complaints from residents in Waratah concerning constant smoke from the pottery works on Turton Rd. Ald R. Higgins stated that "…smoke from the pottery works should not be allowed to spoil the beauty of houses in Waratah." The threat of prosecution did prompt some firms to take action. In April 1942 the NMH reported that Silcocks pottery works had spent large amounts of money in an attempt to abate some of the smoke.
Approaches were also made to local state members of the NSW Parliament who, in turn, raised the issue with the Minister for Health. At the time Singapore had just fallen and the Japanese Army was headed to Australia. The Minister obviously had other priorities and told Novocastrians that "…the smoke nuisance has been in existence for years and although it has increased in recent months by increased production it can only be endured for the duration of the war."
The novelist, Dymphna Cusack, came to live in Newcastle at the beginning of 1942. Her novel, Southern Steel, was published in 1953. Set in Newcastle during the war years, it described the city as appearing "deceptively quiet under its workerday haze. The luminous clouds that rose above the smoke-stacks of the steel works showed no perceptible movement".
During 1943 there are regular reports in the Herald concerning complaints from residents about noise, dust and smoke. The situation became so bad that one engineering works made an official complaint because the dust and grit was causing damage to its machinery. Complaints from residents at Mayfield West lead to three aldermen arranging a conference with the management of Comsteel and Newbold's Ltd. At Newbold's, aldermen were assured that all was being done to reduce smoke. Nineteen small stacks, or chimneys, had been converted into two large ones, hence reducing emissions. Comsteel said the firm "… was anxious to cooperate, but was engaged 24 hours a day on war work and could not close down its plant" .
Trade unions were concerned with the issues relating to pollution. Their members were exposed to dust, smoke and fumes on a daily basis. The Moulders Union in particular was becoming increasingly concerned about the health of their members. A report was prepared and the president of the union, Mr J. Wilson, said it "…indicated a definite increase in the effects of silicosis and certain bronchial complaints. The union had become alarmed at the rate of absenteeism caused by foundry conditions. Ventilation was unsatisfactory and dust contained a high content of silica. It was in the interests of the men but also of the industry that an effort be made immediately to improve conditions."
Following the receipt of a petition signed by 30 residents in Mayfield, the Deputy Health Inspector carried out an investigation of local industries. He recommended that council take no action because the firms were engaged exclusively on defence works.
One of the aldermen however was not happy with the report and "suggested that the City solicitor be asked for a report on what constituted a public nuisance" . This was adopted by the council, who also asked for a legal opinion on whether council could do anything to force the Department of Railways to carry out measures to abate the smoke coming from Zara Street power house.
By 1946 firms could no longer use the war as an excuse for the vast amount of pollution and therefore were facing mounting community pressure to do something about it. In January 1946 the General Manager of Comsteel, Mr W.E. Clegg, told a deputation from the Mayfield West Citizens Civic Association that the company planned to spend £ 60,000 on the construction of two new furnaces. He went on to assure local residents that the company "…was doing all it could to keep dust, smoke, and noise under control."
In the 1940s private enterprise was obviously not the only contributor towards pollution levels, which were making Newcastle one of the dirtiest cities in Australia. One of the worst offenders was the Zara St Power Station. The NMH had shown some reluctance to take up the issue of residents concern over pollution from private industry but this reluctance vanished when local businesspeople decided to protest about pollution from the Power Station. In a major article headed Business Men Revolt Against Zara St Soot, it catalogued the damage being done to persons and property in the city as a result of power station operations.
- Sore and inflamed eyes
- Damage to retailers stock
- Filthy office records
- Clerks working in the heat because they couldn't open windows
- Contamination of food.
The power station operated under the administration of the New South Wales Railway Department. A spokesperson for the department said, "…the most modern machinery available in Australia is in use at the Zara St Station to trap the soot, but where there are powerhouses there must be fine dust escaping." The Lord Mayor Ald Norris responded with an inspection of the area. "It is a matter that will have to be remedied and at once…[and it is] time the railway department prevented the showers of soot and cinders from being strewn over the city." The president of the Retail Traders Association, Alderman F.J. Cane, agreed with the Mayor. "It is about time something was done to rectify the situation. Tremendous damage is being done to stock and allowances have to be made when they are sold." The next day it was reported in the Herald that Mayor Norris intended to ask the Minister for the Local
Graphic from the pamphlet by Merv Copley,
"Eliminate that Smoke". 1957
Government, Mr Cahill, to confer with the power station to endeavour to end the nuisance caused by soot and grit.
In 1947 the Mayfield, Waratah and Georgetown branches of the Communist Party represented an active pressure group working to reduce pollution in Newcastle. These branches combined to generate a 2000 signature petition, which was presented to council. The Chairman of the Newcastle Health Committee, Alderman Purdue, addressed the members of the party in response to this petition. Alderman Purdue argued that it was wood and coal fires used in Newcastle's 32,000 homes that were to blame for most of the pollution. He suggested the use of gas and electric fires as a solution to this problem.
The Waratah - Mayfield communist party were far from satisfied with this response. Vera Deacon, a particularly active young member of the party, was of the conviction that "[s]omething should be done to clear up the nuisance before the 150th anniversary celebrations in 1947. The people of Newcastle should have as their aim to make Newcastle the cleanest of the industrial cities." A further statement by Alderman Purdue that much had already been done by the council and the committee to clear up the nuisance did little to reduce public concern.
In August 1947Ald. Purdue, at this time chairman of the Greater Newcastle Health Committee, responded to public pressure by submitting a scheme to set up an advisory panel on the smoke nuisance. The panel would consist of representatives of the Railway Department, shipping firms and other large industries. Ald. Purdue was quoted as saying; "I feel that if we can get the active cooperation of all the parties concerned we will do more towards eliminating the nuisance than we would with prosecutions."
The Chief Health inspector, Mr Meddows, was more interested in proceeding directly with prosecution of industries failing to reduce smoke levels. Local health inspectors had been taking note of which industries in the district were creating a nuisance. Investigations were being made into reports of excess dust and smoke coming from the Broadmeadow locomotive depot. The coal being loaded there was from Maitland fields and was known to be amongst the worst kind for the release of smoke and dust into the atmosphere.
Mr Meddows also compiled a list of the local businesses which he believed could be contributing to the pollution of the atmosphere. Waratah Brickyards, Wallsend Coke Ovens, Goninans & Co. Ltd, Pauls laundry, General Rubber, Steads Tyre Service, Wallsend Brick and Tile Co., White Swan laundry, Sports Dyers and Cleaners, Zara Street Powerhouse, BHP Co. Ltd., Rylands, Lysaght's, Stewarts and Lloyds, and Newcastle Chemical Company were all mentioned. Mr Meddows added that "[h]ousehold chimneys constitute a major factor in contributing to the emission of smoke and soot". This statement added to the controversy about how much home fires were to blame for the smoke nuisance.
Plans were continuing for the setting up of an advisory panel on the smoke nuisance. On the 27 August 1947, the council approved a plan by Alderman Purdue for a panel consisting of the Health Committee and one representative each from the Chamber of Manufacturers, Chamber of Commerce, Railway Authorities, Maritime Services Board and the Institute of Engineers. Although the panel was to act only in an advisory capacity, Alderman Purdue was beginning to show a stronger stance on the smoke problem, saying that "[i]f we find any industry is not giving its help in the matter, or is defiant, we will not hesitate to take legal action."
The President of the Moulders union (Mr J Wilson) described a definite increase in the effects of silicosis and other foundry occupational diseases, including bronchial complaints. The increasing degree of atmospheric pollution during the 1940s meant that the risk of health problems like these was becoming a concern not only for industry workers but for the general public as well. In 1943 the union submitted a report describing the effects of high levels of dust from foundries on workers health to the State Minister of Labour (Mr Hamilton Knight).
There pressure on industry to reduce their level of emissions increased. In September 1947, a letter to the Greater Newcastle Health Committee from Newbold General Refractories Ltd. in Waratah informed the committee that any retarding of production because of ill-advised directions would have serious repercussions. "It is suggested that the council is not fully conversant with the importance of the industry to Australia … [and] any direction by the council detrimental to production would become more than a local matter, since the only alternative would be to import the bricks from England and America." This letter was in response to a notice from the council to abate smoke emissions. The letter also stated that the company had already spent more than £15,000 on smoke abatement, and Mr. A. R Newbold had been despatched to England and the Continent to study the latest methods of smoke abatement. The letter was forwarded to the Smoke Advisory Panel (SAP).
Explanations like these at a time of war were very convincing. But now that the war was over, public pressure was mounting to abate the problem. The fact that people were experiencing severe discomfort and were at a risk of serious health problems could no longer be ignored. As an indication of the level of the problem, emissions from the Zara Street Powerhouse prompted the following response from Alderman Scott-Daisley after an inspection conducted with the Mayor (Alderman Norris). "Every second person we saw walking in Military Road was wiping his eyes. The air seemed to be full of cinders. It was noticeable to a very great extent in Hunter Street. Soot could even be seen in the gutters."
Rapid scientific advancement in testing methods and technology was presenting itself as a possible solution to the problem. Modification to equipment and practices used in industry would be part of this development. In 1947 Hughes Potteries Pty. Ltd. was carrying out tests to control smoke and soot. Their attempts had not, however, been entirely successful and they had indicated that they would welcome any suggestions from council engineers about the matter.
By 1950, Zara Street Powerhouse continued to be one of the main contributors to pollution in the inner city. A growing number of complaints were being forwarded to the Chief Health Inspector from concerned residents and businesses. A resident from the eastern end of the city brought a paper bag containing three-four ounces of soot into the City Hall, which she had swept from the floors of her home after one day's accumulation. Alderman Purdue and the SAP were well aware of the Zara-Street issue and it was becoming a particular concern for them. In January 1950, Alderman Purdue and the SAP had identified their key demands.:
- Grit arresters be installed on the old boilers
- The Joint Coal Board to improve its grading of coal
- Installation of steam jets to increase combustion / abate smoke
- Transport Minister (Mr. O'Sullivan) to attend meeting with Council
The need for changes on such a large scale was leading inevitably to questions about the actual legal responsibility and obligation of industry. By 1950 the SAP had taken a leading role in bringing issues like these to a head. One of the main arguments coming from industry, including Zara Street Power Station, was that the requests being made by the council and the SAP would bring production to a standstill and be detrimental to Newcastle's economic prospects. This was a common argument, and indeed had some validity, yet it did nothing to abate the smoke problem. Alderman Purdue on behalf of the SAP stated that "[t]he legal position (whether the City Council could take action against a Government department) has also been checked and it appears the council has some powers. The council has been hesitant to recommend such drastic action at a time when the maximum generation of electricity is so essential to all sections of the community."
The SAP was also facing the question of how much influence it could bring to bear in abating smoke from harbour vessels. The Department of Local Government had advised that the Local Government Act could not be amended to give the council power to control smoke emission from harbour vessels. The SAP, however, advised that council continue to ask the Public Works Department to install smoke elimination equipment on their dredges in the harbour. This would be a costly process and the department wished to know if the city council would bear part of the cost. The department added that the proportion of smoke from the dredge service vessels was a very small percentage of the total in Newcastle. Alderman Purdue responded by saying that the smoke from the dredges went into the heart of the city and added that he did not see why the department should expect a contribution from the council any more than a private firm would expect it.
The SAP was also continuing negotiations with other industries such as the Railways Department. The City Council Health Committee had been calling for a report from the Chief Health Inspector (Mr. Meddows) to investigate a suggestion that the railways department be asked to use coke instead of coal to heat up at Broadmeadow railway yards. Local residents themselves had suggested that this could reduce smoke emissions. The panel was submitting information to the Rail Department on a locomotive smoke eliminator recommended by the British Coal Utilisation Research Association.
As the SAP increased pressure during the early 1950s, they experienced a varying degree of success with mixed responses coming from industry. There were two grit arresters installed by Peters Ice Cream Pty. Ltd., a hand fired coal furnace at Commonwealth Steel eliminated and in its place heating equipment installed which would not emit smoke or grit. Companies such as Commonwealth Steel and
Newbold's General Refractories Ltd., which had been under observation with a view to prosecutions were not responding to warnings and were making few improvements. In relation to the Zara Street Power Station, the council was continuing to ask for legal opinion on whether action could be taken against a Government Department. The Panel recommended that the City Solicitors be asked to expedite the matter. Suburbs adjacent to BHP, such as Mayfield East and Tighes Hill, were experiencing one of the biggest ash problems in Newcastle. The Health Committee drew the companies attention to the nuisance being caused by fly ash from the boiler of its power plant. The Manager of BHP (Mr K Butler) admitted there was a nuisance, but told the committee that where there was a steel works, there must be smoke and ash.
Varying responses like these coming from industry were encouraging as well as frustrating for the SAP and council. By 1953, rapid advancement in technology and research was revealing conclusively that fuel could be utilised more efficiently and with less waste. Expert examination being conducted had revealed that if a modern design of furnace were adopted, coal could be burnt with a minimum of smoke. Smoke emission itself was revealed to be evidence of a percentage loss not lower than 10 per cent. The growing awareness of such facts gave greater credence to the actions of the SAP who were looking to respond more decisively in dealing with businesses whose stance on pollution was retrograde. The significant cost of installing new equipment has fuelled the reluctance of industry to address the issue of emissions. The efficient use of solid fuels in industrial furnaces and boilers could now, however, be effectively be put forward not only as an answer to environmental problems, but to economic ones as well. In response to the problem of smoke from dredging in Newcastle harbour, Lord Mayor Purdue was now asking that the Minister for Public works (Mr Renshaw) receive a deputation in order to discuss the legal rights of the panel in enforcing their demands.
The SAP were looking to respond directly to the growing needs and concern of the public in relation to the smoke problem. In May 1953, members of the Mayfield West Civic Association and Waratah West Progress Association had addressed the panel on the soot and smoke nuisance in their local area. Residents of Mayfield had reported that homes which were only two years old had to be washed two or three times. There were complaints from local women that they could not dry washing without it becoming smoke soiled. There was also an awareness that the smoke problem was having similar destructive effect s on people's health. The SAP recommended prosecutions and asked that Mr Meddows produce evidence against offenders at the next meeting of the Health Committee. The Newcastle East Civic Association approached the SAP with concerns relating to locomotives. The Panel advised that a record be kept of the number of locomotives and when they were discharging unnecessary smoke.
Over the years, there was also a continuing problem with BHP in regards to finding and enacting solutions to the pollution problem. In January 1955 the Panel received a deputation from the Mayfield branch of the ALP protesting against the amount of smoke coming from BHP. The smoke was getting into people's eyes and many blamed the chimney and furnace at BHP's ferro-alloy plant. One Mayfield resident said that when the wind was blowing towards her home the smoke was so bad that she could not see buildings 100 yards away. Another complaint expressed the belief that Mayfield had more asthma sufferers than any other district. An envelope containing black residue scraped from a front verandah was handed over to the panel. Visibility had been reduced to 25 yards because of rain and fall residue. When a north-easterly wind blew the smoke went straight over a primary school. Residents had also described suffocating at night because they could not open their windows.
In response, BHP said that Australian Steel Production would virtually cease if they obeyed the council's direction to stop smoke emission from its ferro-alloy plant smokestack. BHP's powerhouse was producing a lot of smoke and it was thought that forcing powerhouse boilers over their capacity was a major contributor. The company asserted that production would have to decrease if there were restrictions imposed on boiler capacity. BHP stressed that Australia needed to focus on continuing to increase production at this time. Management representatives were apparently committed to the belief that BHP was doing its best to reduce smoke and respond to public concerns.
By March 1958 the SAP was still being effectively fobbed off. Representative of the Railways Commissioner (Mr. C. Nunn) said that railways authorities would keep constant supervision over the possible causes of smoke nuisances. Mr Nunn also stated that smoke from the yards could never be completely eliminated and that smoke had been reduced over past years. This kind of response, however, reflected insufficient action on the part of industry. The SAP was also beginning to have its legitimacy questioned. Alderman Edwards was of the opinion that petitions about smoke were beginning to be a joke. "People will often sign anything that could start something". Despite these sentiments, the problem was not about to go away. Public pressure continued to build. Industries, especially those belonging to State Departments, would not be able to contribute to this problem for much longer. With larger cities such as Sydney experiencing similar difficulties, legislative changes were imminent.
During the same month the Smoke Abatement Committee in Sydney was declaring its views on the actions that it believed needed to be taken. After taking surveys in Newcastle and Port Kembla, it proposed strict control of industry transport and public utilities in order to reduce air pollution. A report tabled in the Legislative Assembly proposed comprehensive legislation and the setting up of a division of air pollution control in the Department of Health. "The legislation should clearly indicate the responsibility of industry and prescribe more deterrent penalties for breaches of the law."
The Committee set out the key objectives of the proposed legislation.
- Prohibit the emission of dark smoke from chimneys, railway engines and ships.
- Prohibit the installation of new industrial furnaces unless they were capable of operating without emitting smoke.
- Order new industrial furnaces to have grit-arresting equipment.
- Empower local authorities to declare smoke control areas in which the emission of smoke from chimneys will be prohibited.
The Sydney committee said that the effect of pollution in Newcastle was more marked and that the pollution from the Steel Works had a greater staining power than was normal in Sydney. The committee also said "… a wrong impression had been created that in Sydney and Newcastle oil-fired vessels did not cause air pollution. Ferries and cargo ships, whether coal or oil-fired, caused serious nuisances when the boilers were operated inefficiently." The committee suggested that the cost of the establishment and administration of a division of air control could be substantially met by registration fees from pollution producing industrial processes. In May 1958 the committee proposed a new division of the Department of Public Health to control air pollution with branches in Newcastle and Wollongong. The committee recommended that eight scientific officers with a laboratory staff should be the first move for the new division, with one of the officers being stationed in Newcastle.
The SAP was greatly encouraged by this news, as they considered the smoke problem in Newcastle to be part of a state wide problem. The Sydney committee had also stated that "[i]t was necessary to develop educational campaigns to help control air pollution. Suitable courses could be provided at technical colleges on instruction in the management of industrial and public facilities producing a smoke problem." Alderman A.E. Dunn of Sydney City Council said that definite progress had been made in Newcastle's smoke abatement scheme. He also said that some aspects of the BHP's problems with smoke had improved since his last visit two years earlier.
Despite these successes, it was in many ways business as usual for the smoke abatement campaigners. The Chief Health inspector of Newcastle (Mr. Dickinson) said that the Sydney committee had drawn attention to the Public utilities and Government departments as a source of heavy air pollution. Gaining a response from these key areas was continuing to be a challenge for the Newcastle campaigners. Mr. Dickinson, speaking in relation to the Sydney Committee, said that "[t]he committee understood there was a long-range plan in regard to the railways, which presented a difficult problem."
Although responsibility was being spread to a state level in regards to public utilities and Government departments, the SAP maintained pressure on local industries. In March 1958 BHP agreed to install a grit arrester on one of their plant boilers and the Royal Newcastle Hospital installed a new boiler to reduce smoke. Actions like these were indicative of continuing improvement, but by no means an imminent solution to the smoke and soot problem in Newcastle.
On the 12 January 1961, Newcastle experienced a pall of smoke over the inner city. "An employee of one of Newcastle's largest hardware stores said the soot had been blowing so fiercely about 1 o'clock that women had been stepping inside the store's doors to wipe particles from their faces and dust their children's faces and clothes." Two officers of the Maritime Services Board were detailed to inspect damage done and investigate the cause. The Maritime Services Board and the Railways Department denied responsibility. Despite this, Alderman Purdue stated that "[c]are should be taken to ensure that the methods of furnacing and stoking, and the fuels used, were such that only the least possible smoke would be emitted." The clouds of soot were later traced to a ship berthed in Newcastle Harbour.
With the increased level of traffic on Newcastle's roads, the SAP began pushing to reduce vehicle pollution. The panel had asked what action police were taking after it had been claimed that the amount of smoke from Government buses and trucks had not been reduced. During 1961, smoke emission from Waratah Brick Co. was causing many complaints from local residents. Smoke from the quarry at the premises had in fact been causing a nuisance for a number of years. The Newcastle City Council Health Committee recommended legal proceedings to abate the smoke nuisance. A notice under the provision of the Public Health Act was served on William Henry Hudson, the registered proprietor of the company.
Progress was continuing to be made on a state level to develop legislation, which would be effective in reducing air pollution. In 1961, responding to pressure from various sources, the N.S.W. Government finally replaced the Smoke Nuisance Abatement Act 1902 with the Clean Air Act 1961. The act, however, was ineffective because of "…the lack of guiding regulations under which authorities would work…" The government established an Air Pollution Advisory Committee to draw up the necessary regulations. These regulations were not approved by Parliament until 1964, but when they came into effect they allowed the government to measure emissions from industry and to prosecute firms who failed to meet the emission levels set for that particular industry. The ability to accurately measure emissions was a breakthrough in the campaign for cleaner air. Being able to supply accurate pollution measurements would from now on help in gaining recognition and responses from both State and Federal Governments in dealing with the problem.
Mr Sheahan, the Minister for Health at the time, said, "…two opposing considerations had to be reconciled in forming the limits for emissions. One was that the discharge of impurities should be maintained at the lowest level possible. The other was that these levels should not impose crippling burdens on industry." He also noted that the health department had established an Air Pollution Control Branch with a staff of 27, and officers were already working in Newcastle and Wollongong.
The State Government was beginning to give industrial cities like Newcastle the consideration they deserved. It was finally taking legislative action to do something about the problem of air pollution. Local councils were now beginning to be relieved of much of their burden in trying to regulate the pollution caused by local industry.
Current developments in technology were also helping in this regard. In 1964 the Herald reported that "[a] delicately adjusted machine, comparable to an electronic robot is secretly located in the Boolaroo-Speers Point area to measure atmospheric pollution caused by sulphur dioxide. The Chief Health Inspector of Lake Macquarie Shire (Mr W. Hanson) was responsible for the care of the delicate instrument and the immediate notification of Sydney to take corrective action against adverse readings."
Over the next decade air pollution in Newcastle declined. There were however periods when this trend was reversed. In April 1967 it was reported that air pollution had increased in the past five months compared with the corresponding period the year before. Gauges showed that the worst month was December 1966. Most of the increase was attributed to problems with the new BOS plant at BHP.
In 1967 atmospheric fallout was so bad it was affecting local fruit trees. The Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Chaffey, had promised to send an officer from the horticultural section to Newcastle to investigate complaints that atmospheric pollution was affecting fruit trees in Mayfield and Mayfield West. Mr Jones M.L.A, on reports from local residents, said that it was the first time nectarine and lemon trees had been affected in this way.
Despite localised increases in pollution, the principal officer for the Air Pollution Control Board said, "…average smoke densities in Newcastle were lower than the clearest days of large overseas cities…" Pollution levels measured at Broadmeadow were falling as diesel locomotives gradually replaced steam locomotives. A railway engineer said that by 1970 it was anticipated that most of the steam locos would be replaced by diesel. Over the next ten years these trends continued, and air pollution levels decreased gradually. One significant factor was the closure of the Zara St Power Station, which had been a major source of pollution since its opening in 1920. By 1972 it only operated to help meet peak demand periods in winter. It was decommissioned on June 30th 1975 and demolished in 1979.
As most Australians became more affluent, so the number of cars on our roads increased steadily. While public and private industry was being compelled to reduce their waste emission, motor vehicle emissions became an expanding source of air pollution in Australian cities.
In January 1973 the new Whitlam Government took a leadership role on the issue. the Minister for Health, Dr Everingham directed State Governments, who had the responsibility for public health, to adopt tighter standards. National emission standards for industrial, shipping, and aircraft would also be made more stringent.
The next month a meeting between the Federal Transport Minister Mr Charles Jones (the member for Newcastle) and State Transport Ministers "…resolved to tighten controls on motor vehicle exhaust emissions." Over the next three years car manufacturers would be required to meet specifications which would greatly reduce carbon monoxide emissions.
As air quality in Newcastle improved, the civic fathers were grieved to find that the city still had a reputation for being "dirty". The Herald, in a major article in 1972, assured readers that "Newcastle could well be regarded as the leader in NSW in dealing with complaints on pollution and setting up processes for its control. For the past 25 years the city has had a pollution complaint service, similar to the one set up in Sydney last month, and a committee to advise Newcastle City Council on pollution problems. There has been a marked decrease in the fallout of solids and a clearing of smoke from the atmosphere".
In 1973 Mr Alex Young told the Hunter Regional Development Committee that "…it was time for an educational program on the true state of pollution in Newcastle." He and Ald Purdue agreed that the "…density of fallout in the inner Sydney area was greater than Newcastle." Ald Purdue said he understood Newcastle to be "…the cleanest steel city in the world." By 1976 the figures do indicate that Newcastle was cleaning up its act. "In 1951 the average fall-out for insoluble solids was 0.33 tonnes per hectare per month. By 1976 this figure had been reduced to only 0.04 tonnes." By 1976 the fallout had been reduced to one eighth of the level endured twenty-five years earlier.
Despite arguments about who had the best record, air pollution remained a problem for some Newcastle suburbs. In 1977 Mr Arthur Wade, MLA for Newcastle, made a strong complaint to the Minister for Planning and Environment, Mr Landa, about pollution problems in Carrington. He said that "… coal dust from the coal dump in Darling St and the nearby coal-loader was making life almost unbearable for residents there and that he'd been trying to get something done for years about the problem but he hadn't had much luck".
In 1980 a Canadian academic, Professor Pengelly, visited Newcastle and many Novocastrians were keen to know what he thought about Newcastle's air quality. He had conducted studies in this field in various overseas cities. He asserted that "[p]eople outside the city say it has a nasty atmosphere. That is not true. The air here is as clean and clear as anywhere else. There doesn't seem to be any evidence now that the air quality here has a detrimental effect on people's health."
Professor Pengelly may not have been so complimentary if he had still been in Newcastle later that year when the State Pollution Control Commission released figures showing a rise of 41% in sulphur dioxide concentrations in Newcastle in the previous six months. The Lord Mayor, Ald. Cummins, said she "…was concerned with the problem and would be interested to know what the reason was."
Two years later the news was much better and Newcastle City Council was happy to release figures compiled by its health department. These indicated that the average concentration of carbon monoxide in the air in Newcastle was 80% lower than in Sydney.
All, however, was not well. Many residents of Stockton were still unhappy about air quality. One couple, Joan and Cyril Smith, said they had lived in Stockton for thirty years but had never experienced dust as bad as that in October 1981. The problem arose when alumina was unloaded in high winds at Kooragang Island. Ald. Rigby, who also lived in Stockton, described the unloading as "…blatant stupidity…. The loading and unloading operations in the port were a disgrace and he would not rest until the port was put into reasonable order." The Maritime Services Board, under pressure to explain its actions, blamed a faulty wind meter. The meter should have notified staff that the wind was in excess of 48 km/h and, hence, loading should have ceased. Assurances were given that the problem would be rectified immediately.
By 1984 some Upper Hunter towns had a serious problem with dust from local open-cut coalmines. The area causing the most concern, however, was Boolaroo. "Lead pollution levels in 1982 were the highest in NSW." (The history of the protracted campaign to alleviate this problem will be dealt with in another chapter)
Although air pollution emitted from BHP fell over the following decades it continued to be a source of concern for residents in neighbouring suburbs until the " Big Australian" poured its last ton of steel in September 1999. Following the closure, Mayfield house prices were reported to be 'soaring' and the suburb experienced some gentrification. Newcastle council monitoring showed fallout of grime in Mayfield had dropped from 6gm per month while BHP was still operating to 1.1gm after the closure. A local resident, Mrs Pat Flowers, said that she previously swept her verandah each day but now only had to sweep it once a week. "There's no smell of BHP either, although you get an occasional escape from one of the other industries" . The president of the Newcastle Real Estate Institute, Darren Bender, said that "…having better air to breath is obviously a factor in the renewed interest in the suburb as a place to live and to buy investment properties."
The introduction of unleaded petrol a decade ago has also made a significant difference to areas adjacent to main roads and highways. From being a dirty industrial city for most of the last century, Newcastle has made vast improvements in air and water quality. This justifies the "clean, green" image now being promoted by the Newcastle City Council. The vision and hard work of determined Newcastle people has indeed led us towards a cleaner and more beautiful city.
Photo courtesy of Angela Scales
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