How an Irish company, some industrial skips and a bunch of flowers are making your air cleaner to breathe
Business

How an Irish company, some industrial skips and a bunch of flowers are making your air cleaner to breathe

AN IRISH construction company is helping to make London greener by supporting a project aimed at improving air quality in the city.

O’Donovan Waste Disposal answered a call for help by the organisers of the Metal Box Garden scheme, which was launched to coincide with London Design Week and saw a number of industrial skips transformed into gardens.

The initiative formed Phase 1 of Better Bankside's Clean Air Mini-Neighbourhood programme, which is aimed at improving air quality in London’s Bankside area.

It comprises an installation of specially commissioned planted skips, which are now located in Bankside’s America Street – thanks to the staff at O’Donovan waste, who helped transport the weighty flower beds.

Members of the O'Donovan Waste Disposal team in action on the environmental project (Pic: O'Donovan Waste)

The temporary installation is designed to highlight how investing in greening the quieter and more tranquil back streets can help support more walking across the neighbourhood.

Valerie Beirne, Bankside Urban Forest Manager, said: “O’Donovan were amazing in responding to our call for help in mobilising our Metal Box Gardens.

“We approached O’Donovan based on their corporate responsibility credentials, and they rose to the challenge, helping us successfully deliver our Metal Box Garden on site.”

Funded by the Mayor of London, the Clean Air Mini Neighbourhood is working with over 100 businesses in the area of Bankside to improve air quality.

Donald Hyslop, Chairman of Better Bankside, said: “Bankside is a thriving, busy commercial area of London, meaning heavy traffic and elevated levels of air pollution.

“Our Clean Air Mini Neighbourhood project cannot solve London’s air pollution problems, but it can help residents, office workers and visitors to the area to find quieter back streets with lower levels of air pollution.”

Founded in 1959, family-run O’Donovan Waste Disposal Ltd aims to lead the way in safe, green and efficient waste operations across London.

Based in north London, with five sites and 160 employees, O’Donovan Waste's services include skip hire, roll on/off bins, waste transfer stations, tipper and grab lorry services, recycled aggregates, road sweepers, wheelie bins and demolition services.