Schoolchildren to monitor air quality in Carrigaline

Plans are being advanced to get schoolchildren involved in air quality monitoring in Carrigaline.

An air pollution monitor, which was out of action for a significant length of time, has been replaced with a new and more modern one in the town park.

A senior council official has disclosed the authority plans to collaborate with schools on a new pollution project in the area.

Ger Barry, head of the council’s planning and environment directorate, said under an initiative aligned with the local authority’s environmental work programme, the council’s air quality unit has engaged with primary schools in Carrigaline.

“A mini-schools project is now being discussed using low-cost equipment to assess air quality at traffic congested areas, to raise awareness of air quality among the school children,” Mr Barry said.

He provided the news to Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley, who asked if the council could ‘pilot an environmental and public health initiative in Carrigaline to improve air quality and support active travel through enhanced monitoring, traffic management, and collaboration with relevant agencies and educational institutions.’

“This could turn the monitor from just a piece of equipment into a real learning and awareness tool for Carrigaline. It could become a really useful community education and science project, especially for schools, youth groups and local organisations,” 

Ms Buckley said.

She has suggested schools could compare air quality readings at different times of day (school drop-off, rush hour, weekends) and discuss why levels change and use live monitor data for classroom science, geography or maths projects, graphing trends and learning about pollution, weather and health.

Ms Buckley said pupils could look at the link between air quality and active travel and reducing car idling outside schools.

In addition, she said that school children could explore how planting trees/hedgerows helps air quality and pollinators and that transition year projects could create awareness campaigns or presentations on local air quality.

“The information could also be used by citizen science volunteers to track links between traffic, weather, and air quality readings and by sports clubs to understand best (least polluted) times for outdoor activity.

Other councillors representing the Carrigaline Municipal District also welcomed the news.

It was also disclosed that MTU (Munster Technological University) had contacted the county council about air quality monitoring in Carrigaline and the local authority is exploring further collaboration with the institution.