AIR quality around the Carmarthenshire area – including part of the Towy Valley – will be monitored for six months.

Carmarthenshire County Council is focusing an air quality monitoring exercise around four schools in the county including Llandeilo’s Ysgol Llandeilo and Ysgol Teilo Sant Llandeilo, as well as Ysgol Ffwrnes Llanelli and Ysgol Parc Waun Dew in Carmarthen.

The schools are within or close to the three air quality management areas of Llandeilo, Llanelli and Carmarthen.

The project to monitor the air quality will last for around six months and will use monitors to provide real time data on pollutants like nitrogen dioxide and particulates. The monitors – which were secured after a successful funding bid from the local air quality management support fund 2023-2024 – will also help to determine any improvements to air quality over time.

Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen, cabinet member for climate change, decarbonisation and sustainability, said: “Air quality in Carmarthenshire is generally good and our monitoring data shows we meet all current UK air quality objectives for particulate matter.

“However, as with many busy towns and cities, there are some areas close to busy roads where levels of nitrogen dioxide are sometimes elevated, and it is important to ensure we all do what we can with the challenges we face in terms of air quality and the impact it can have on the health of residents.

“This project will help to raise awareness of the importance of air quality with younger residents, as well as encouraging schools, parents and the wider community to consider what behaviours can contribute towards good air quality in and around schools.”