Scientists verify in-road air pollution solution

A new in-road solution for capturing air pollutants from vehicles has been found to reduce roadside exposure to humans by 91%.

Environmental technology firm Pollution Solution has unveiled their new product, ‘Roadvent’ – the first solution of its kind to be independently verified by scientists.

Through a series of controlled experiments at the first Roadvent installation site in Bedford, scientists from Cambustion UK were able to quantify and verify the solution’s efficacy to capture and clean polluted air directly from the road.

Professor Frank Kelly, Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health and Battcock Chair in Community Health and Policy at Imperial College London, said: ‘Although progress has been made in reducing vehicle emissions in urban locations, hotspots still exist where traffic is idling or moving slowly. To date, there has been no effective way of removing pollution at roadside other than banning vehicles such as in the Clean Streets programme.

‘Roadvent™ provides a promising viable alternative to banning traffic as the system sucks up pollution at the road surface before it can disperse to nearby pavements. Early tests of the system demonstrate significant reduction in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations one of the major pollutants emitted from diesel vehicles.’

Thomas Delgado, Inventor and Founder & CEO of Pollution Solution, has developed the Roadvent system over eight years.

‘We are both proud and excited by the scientific validation Roadvent™ has received. We now have an opportunity to improve air quality for communities worldwide. We look forward to working with governments, councils and employers to act now. Our focus is to prevent any more unnecessary deaths, reduce pollution related illnesses and help people lead longer, happier and healthier lives,’ he said.

Professor James Lee, Atmospheric Chemistry at York University, added: ‘It has been really nice to see the system in operation. The data from the testing is compelling, showing the system to take the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) from an unhealthy amount above the limits as recommended by the World Health Organisation, to below those limits. If that was to be rolled out worldwide, it really could make a remarkable difference. I believe it is something that should be taken forward and I think Pollution Solution have done a great job in the production.’

Photo supplied by Pollution Solution