Funder
Royal Society of Chemistry
Year
2026
Status
Ongoing
Reading's Environmental Chemistry Project
Community Environmental Testing Kits
Putting practical chemistry into the hands of the people who live with the pollution.
What we're doing
We're building and sharing low-cost testing kits so people can look into the water, soil and indoor air in their own communities. Each kit includes:
water testing strips
soil pH testing materials
air quality testing resources
sample collection tubes
safety equipment
an easy-to-follow educational booklet
Why it matters
Pollution doesn't affect everyone equally. In the UK, low-income and racialised communities are more exposed, and that feeds into real health inequalities. Yet these same communities are often left out of environmental monitoring and science. This project is about changing that, by giving people the tools to find things out for themselves.
Who it's for
Primary school pupils, families and community groups across Reading and the surrounding areas.

