Seoul City Offers Free 'Pre-Technical Diagnosis' Support for Small Business Prevention Facilities

Promotion of Pre-Technical Diagnosis System to Improve Efficiency of Existing Facility Prevention and Shorten Completion Period
Performance Evaluation of Air Pollutant Collection, Transport, Prevention Facilities, and Blowers Before Subsidy Application... Reflected in Design

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 27th that it will implement a ‘Preliminary Technical Diagnosis System’ to enhance the air quality improvement effects of the ‘Small-scale Business Facility Support Project,’ which replaces outdated prevention facilities in painting and plating workplaces, and to shorten preliminary procedures.

The Small-scale Business Facility Support Project is a program that supports 90% of the replacement costs for outdated prevention facilities at air pollutant-emitting workplaces such as painting and plating businesses. It has been ongoing since 2019, and after improving the prevention facilities, dust was reduced by 69.3% and total hydrocarbons by 50.5%.

The preliminary technical diagnosis is a system that evaluates the performance of the entire facility within the workplace?including air pollutant collection, transportation, prevention facilities, and blowers?before applying for prevention facility subsidies, and reflects the results in the design. There is no separate diagnosis fee.

Small-scale businesses wishing to undergo the preliminary technical diagnosis can apply by mail or visit the environmental department of the district office where the business is located by the 5th of next month. On-site diagnosis will be conducted for the received businesses by December this year.

Furthermore, businesses that apply for the preliminary technical diagnosis and participate in next year’s Small-scale Business Facility Support Project will be given priority selection as candidates and will also receive support for collection and transportation facilities, which were not previously included in the support targets.

Kim Deok-hwan, Director of the Air Policy Division of Seoul City, said, “Through the Small-scale Business Facility Support Project, we can significantly reduce air pollutant emissions by replacing outdated prevention facilities of small business operators,” and added, “We hope for active participation in the preliminary technical diagnosis from small-scale businesses for the sake of Seoul’s clean air.”