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This pollution-absorbing bench can clean air with the power of 275 trees

CityTree is being tested in London after successful launches in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and Oslo.
CityTree is being tested in London after successful launches in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and Oslo. CityTree is being tested in London after successful launches in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and Oslo.

A moss-covered bench which can absorb the same amount of air pollution as 275 trees is undergoing trials in London.

Comprising a regular seat and a vertical garden, the CityTree takes up 1% of the space that would be needed to achieve the same clean-air results as real trees.

The pollutant-ingesting benches are being tested on Glasshouse Street near Piccadilly Circus by Green City Solutions.

The vertical garden inhales pollution and exhales fresh air, extracting particulate matter including soot, dirt and microscopic pollutants.

A CityTree installation in Paris (Green City Solutions)

Each CityTree also produces a cooling effect on the surrounding area, says Green City Solutions.

The CityTree powers itself with solar panels while rainwater is collected and redistributed using an inbuilt irrigation system.

The installation has been taken to London by The Crown Estate, with the support of Westminster City Council, and UK supplier of CityTree, Evergen Systems.

The London trial comes after successful launches in Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and Oslo, and sees the kit tested on the streets of the West End.

David Harvey, cabinet member for the environment, sport and community at Westminster City Council, said: “It will be fascinating to see what impact the CityTree has on pollution in the local area.

“This is just one example of the new technology we want to test across Westminster.

“Air quality is the number one concern for our residents and with over a million people moving into and travelling to our neighbourhoods each day it is crucial that we make more strides to clean up our air and tackle poor air quality for residents and visitors alike.”

The installation comes as a joint report by four parliamentary committees demanded that the Government addresses the “national health emergency” of poor air quality.

MPs warned that toxic air was responsible for 40,000 early deaths and £20 billion in economic costs each year.