Clean air and air quality for Carmarthenshire’s residents and millions of visitors is “incredibly important” to the County Council, which took the opportunity of Clean Air Day (June 19) to highlight the continued and significant improvement in air quality across the county since 2009.

Improvements in transport habits, advances in cleaner technology, and the Council’s targeted interventions have all contributed to the improvement of air quality.

The Council’s Environmental Health team have installed five real time monitors providing data on nitrogen dioxide and particulates which are in and around our air quality management areas. The data gathered from these monitors along with the county’s Nitrogen Dioxide diffusion tube network have indicated a continuing improvement in overall air quality and complying with the National Air Quality Objectives.

With financial support from the Welsh Government’s Local Air Quality Management grant, officers have also supported Carmarthenshire school pupils in delivering a range of initiatives and projects that highlight the health and wellbeing consequences of clean air. Air pollution can contribute to serious health issues, and particularly affects the most vulnerable such as children, older people, and those with heart and lung conditions

Schemes have included access for 2,500 primary school pupils to the “travel tracker”, a fun way of awarding badges for using non-motorised ways to get to school which has already resulted in 130,692 active journeys being recorded by pupils this academic year alone, real time air quality monitoring and an interactive pantomime that has visited 20 schools to communicate how everyone can contribute to clean air and a healthy environment.

The County Council is also continuing to ensure residents can enjoy the County’s stunning natural environment with updated walking trails and cycling routes as well as major new projects such as the new Tywi Valley Path, a scenic, multi-use route connecting Carmarthen and Llandeilo.

Councillor Aled Vaughan Owen, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability, said:

“We are blessed to be living in such a uniquely beautiful county, and we all have our part to play in protecting our environment for the health of our families, neighbours and communities. I would like to thank Council officers for the valuable work they have been delivering alongside our Schools and other stakeholders.”

For more information, contact the Council’s Public Health Team via [email protected]