BP Olympics scheme aims to boost air quality

BP has launched a new venture to help reduce the impact that the 2012 London Olympics will have on the UK's air quality.

With waves of visitors expected to attend the high profile event, the oil giant has set up a scheme to counterbalance the extra carbon emissions that will be released into the atmosphere.

The Target Neutral initiative will see participants sign up to have the pollution created by their journeys to and from London offset by BP at no cost.

Bosses at the firm are hoping to set a new world record in the field and are also attempting to raise awareness of the impact travel has on the environment.

"We need every spectator to sign up, so London 2012 becomes the world's largest offset as measured by number of participants," commented BP's head of country Peter Mather.

Meanwhile, chairman of BP Target Neutral Advisory Jonathon Porritt believes the project could have a wider impact on people's attitudes towards carbon emissions.