A pollution-blocking ‘green screen’ installed at Nash Mills Primary

A pollution-blocking ‘green screen’ has been installed at Nash Mills Primary school in Hemel Hempstead by Dacorum Borough Council, as part of a pilot scheme to reduce air and noise pollution at schools across Dacorum.

Designed to create a natural barrier between the playground fence of Nash Mills Primary school and Belswains Lane, a green screen is foliage that grows around a vertical lattice to capture and block particulate pollution. This will help to reduce the childrens’ exposure to air pollution and the chances of respiratory issues associated with it.

Nash Mills Primary School was chosen as a pilot for the scheme as the site is located in an area of poor air quality and next to a busy road. The screen also helps make the front playground a more usable space for the pupils and staff, allowing them to enjoy more benefits of outdoor learning and play.

Along with the screen, Dacorum Borough Council has installed an air quality monitor on the Nash Mills Primary School grounds, with the help of Hertfordshire County Council, to measure the impact of the green screen on the local air quality. These measurements will then be used to evaluate the success of the screen, with the plan to roll out the project to other schools in the borough.

Nash Mills Primary School have held a ‘Good’ Modeshift STARS Travel Plan since 2019 and work consistently hard to encourage active travel to school.  The Active Travel Ambassadors, pictured with the schools Sustainable Travel Officer, explained that not only will the wall help with pollution, but noise from the road in the playground was considerably reduced after installation.