Brent Council will continue its campaign for better air quality, after statistics revealed that the borough is among the worst in the country in terms of ‘pollution removal’.
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed that Brent is the seventh-worst area in the UK when it comes to plants and trees ridding the area of harmful pollutants.
The study, carried out in 2015, showed that just over 48,000 kilograms of pollutants – including nitrogen dioxide, as well as substances from vehicles, aeroplanes and power plants – were removed by vegetation in Brent that year.
According to the ONS, this saved the region around £4.4 million and Cllr Krupa Sheth, responsible for the environment at Brent Council, said it is important to cherish the borough’s greenery.
She said: “The quality of air in Brent is a major issue for us. We are addressing this concern by planting trees and protecting green spaces. All established green spaces in Brent are legally protected.
“Planning conditions are also being used to guard against poor air quality choices made by developers.
“This includes conditions to ensure the use of cleaner engines and machinery. We are doing all we can to make Brent safer, cleaner and greener.”
The study found that nine of the ten ‘worst’ areas were in London, with Tower Hamlets bottom of the list.
The ‘cleanest’ area in Britain was Devon, which saw almost 46 million kilograms of pollutant removed in 2015.
But in terms of money saved, Berkshire was the biggest benefactor as it recouped more than £18 million.
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