Dongjak-gu, Designated as Seoul's First Fine Dust Safe Zone Nationwide

Starting March, Customized Regional Support Initiatives... Establishing Policies to Reduce Fine Dust in Daily Life Including Installation of Ventilation Purifiers and IoT Monitoring Systems at Large Construction Sites

Location of Fine Dust Safe Zone in Dongjak-gu (Heukseok-dong)

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) will launch a customized support project starting next month following the designation of the Heukseok-dong area as the first Seoul-type Fine Dust Safe Zone nationwide last month.

The ‘Fine Dust Safe Zone’ is an area designated by the local government head where fine dust (PM10) exceeds 50㎍/㎥ and ultrafine dust (PM2.5) exceeds 15㎍/㎥, aimed at preventing damage to vulnerable groups from fine dust. Customized fine dust reduction projects tailored to the characteristics of the area will be implemented so that residents can feel the effects.

First, ‘ventilation air purifiers’ will be installed to protect vulnerable groups such as children and the elderly from high concentrations of fine dust.

The installed ventilation air purifiers will be constructed or attached to windows or ceilings to expel polluted indoor air and circulate fresh outdoor air inside.

The district will conduct a pilot project by selecting public daycare centers and senior centers within the area as a priority for two months starting in April.

After the pilot project, based on user satisfaction surveys and project effect analysis, the installation will be expanded to all daycare centers and senior centers within the zone in the second half of the year.

Additionally, the district will install and operate a fine dust IoT monitoring system at two large construction sites with a total floor area of over 10,000㎡ within the safe zone.

Sensors installed at the construction sites will measure (ultra)fine dust and noise in real time, and when levels exceed the standards, administrative guidance messages will be automatically sent. Regular patrols will be conducted by responsible officials and citizen monitoring groups.

Furthermore, efforts to reduce fine dust in daily life will be strengthened through ▲installation of simple fine dust measuring devices ▲focused crackdowns on vehicle emissions and idling ▲enhanced operation of water spraying and dust suction vehicles ▲inspection and management of fine dust emission sources.

Along with this, the district is actively responding to air quality issues by running the ‘2020 Household Eco-friendly Boiler’ installation support project until December.

Last year, Dongjak-gu was the first district in Seoul to secure district funds to support installation costs of eco-friendly boilers for low-income households. This year, 200 million KRW will be invested to support the installation of 4,000 units in homes and business facilities.

The support amount is 50,000 KRW per boiler from district funds, with a total of 250,000 KRW for general households and 550,000 KRW for low-income households including national and city subsidies.

Lee Jeong-sim, Director of the Clean Environment Division, said, “Through the implementation of this fine dust reduction policy, we will create an environment where residents can live healthier lives.”