Clean Air Together (Cork City) Citizen Science project

 

Become a Citizen Scientist and measure air pollution in Cork City

Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Deirdre Forde, today launched the Clean Air Together (Cork City) Citizen Science project, an initiative of The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce to gather new data on the quality of the air in Cork City.  

 As part of the initiative, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and An Taisce’s Environmental Education Unit are looking for 1,000 people in Cork City to become citizen scientists and measure air pollution.  Selected participants will receive a small tube that will measure Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) in their local area.  Nitrogen Dioxide comes mainly from cars, vans and trucks. It is an air pollutant and can have very harmful effects on your heart and lungs.  The sampling will be carried out over the month of October this year and it’s free to participate.  If you are interested you can get more information, and register to participate, on the Clean Air Together project website www.cleanairtogether.ie.

The results of the Clean Air Together project will also be used to inform Cork City Council’s Air Quality Strategy.  Lord Mayor of Cork City, Councillor Deirdre Forde said:

“I am delighted to represent Cork City Council at the launch of this amazing Clean Air Together initiative, which highlights the importance of air quality in our City.  This initiative also offers citizens the opportunity to directly engage in the collection of air quality information; thereby raising awareness of this matter and increasing community involvement in improving the quality of air that we breathe.”

EPA Senior Scientist David Fenton said:

“We are delighted to be bringing this exciting project to Cork City to measure nitrogen dioxide (NO2) - a major traffic pollutant which is known to be harmful.  By taking part in this Clean Air Together project, you will measure NO2 is in your area and your measurement - together with all of the other data collected - will give us a detailed picture of air pollution in Cork City. Participation in the project is open to everyone who is a resident of Cork City.  You can visit www.cleanairtogether.ie to find out more information and register as a participant.”