Seoul City to Carry Out 'Indoor Environment Improvement Construction' for 80 Vulnerable Households in October

Among 223 Applicant Households, Priority Given to Those with Urgent Housing Deterioration and Mold Issues on Walls and Floors for Immediate Improvement

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Seoul City announced on the 30th that it will carry out ‘Indoor Environment Improvement Construction’ targeting 80 households from October to protect the health of vulnerable groups from harmful indoor environmental factors. Next year, the program will be expanded to 100 households to strengthen ‘Walking Together with the Vulnerable’ in the field of environmental health.

Seoul City’s ‘Indoor Environment Improvement Construction for Prevention and Management of Environmental Diseases’ is a citizen-centered environmental health service. It diagnoses harmful factors in the living spaces of vulnerable groups and practically improves the indoor environment by removing mold through wallpaper and flooring replacement construction. Among the 298 locations that applied in advance last March, 223 locations that requested home visits completed diagnosis and consulting on six items: total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), formaldehyde, fine dust (PM10, PM2.5), carbon dioxide, mold, and house dust mites.

The 80 households selected for this indoor environment improvement construction were identified as urgently needing improvement due to deteriorated housing conditions, wallpaper damage caused by leaks, and mold occurrence based on the diagnosis results. By household type, there are 35 low-income households, 32 elderly living alone, 7 disabled households, 4 single-parent households, and 2 others.

Seoul City fully supports the construction costs for improving the indoor environment of vulnerable groups. Eco-friendly wallpapers, flooring, paints, and other materials used in the construction are provided by 17 social contribution companies that have signed business agreements with the Ministry of Environment, and the materials are supported as sponsored goods. In particular, the budget will be increased next year to expand the program to 100 households as the number of applicants for indoor environment improvement construction increases annually and health management is strengthened.

Furthermore, the city plans to conduct thorough follow-up management by not only completing the one-time construction but also listening to any inconveniences caused by the construction through individual household interviews after completion.

Park Yumi, Director of the Seoul City Citizen Health Bureau, said, “We will actively promote indoor environment improvement construction that changes the living environment to eco-friendly to prevent environmental diseases among vulnerable groups,” and added, “We will focus on prevention so that everyone can be healthy by walking together with the vulnerable in protecting health from harmful environmental factors.”