Waltham Forest installs two permanent CityTrees

Waltham Forest Council has installed two permanent CityTrees in Leytonstone to improve air quality.

German company Green City Solutions is behind the CityTree, which is a free-standing outdoor air cleaning system that uses biotechnology to emulate the pollution-reduction benefits of, what they claim, is up to 275 urban trees.

The CityTree also contains a water tank, with automatic irrigation and plant sensors all powered by onboard solar panels and batteries.

The different types of moss bind environmental toxins such as particulate matter and nitrogen oxides while at the same time producing oxygen. 

The locations of the City Trees experience significant air pollution. The Leytonstone Station site is at a bus station and sits on top of the A12 where there are the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the borough.

The Thatched House site is at the junction of two heavily trafficked roads — Leytonstone High Road / Leytonstone Road and Cann Hall Road / Crownfield Road.

Cllr Clyde Loakes, Waltham Forest Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for environment said: ‘Waltham Forest Council has been tackling climate change for over a decade. Installing two City Trees is one of the many measures we are taking to improve air quality in the borough.

‘The City Trees are cutting-edge technology with biotech filters, using living plants and different types of mosses to capture toxins and remove pollutants from the surrounding environment to produce clean air. It’s the equivalent of planting 275 trees.

‘The two City Trees at Leytonstone tube station and another on Leytonstone High Road are permanent additions to the borough and London in our fight against poor air quality. I am delighted that Waltham Forest is again leading the way in improving air quality and tackling climate change in London.’