Gyeonggi-do, Recycled Fiber Filter 'Air Quality Improvement' Effect

Installation of a fibrous filter for air purification

Gyeonggi Province's 'Recycled Fiber Filtration Filter,' developed through industry-academia-government collaboration, has been found effective in improving indoor air quality.

Gyeonggi Province is producing air pollution filtration filters using textile waste generated during the clothing manufacturing process. In April last year, a filtration filter containing 15% recycled fiber was installed in the air conditioning system of the underground station at Unyang Station on the Gimpo Gold Line and monitored for six months.

The monitoring results showed an average indoor air pollution concentration of 19.3㎍/㎥ and a maximum value of 46.3㎍/㎥. Compared to the indoor air pollution levels using the existing filter, which had an average of 24.1㎍/㎥ and a maximum of 52.5㎍/㎥, these values are 20% and 11.8% lower, respectively. The removal rate of ultrafine dust was between 80% and 97.2%.

Since January 2022 until December 2024, Gyeonggi Province has been promoting the development of a subway station fine dust removal filter module using recycled fiber air filters through an industry-academia-government collaboration project with Sejin Plus Co., Ltd., Anyang University, Gimpo City, and Gimpo Gold Line Co., Ltd.

Last month, Gyeonggi Province installed filtration filters with increased recycled fiber content in the air conditioning system at Unyang Station and plans to verify performance through a second phase of indoor air quality monitoring in the subway station until September.

Cha Seong-su, Director of the Climate Environment and Energy Bureau of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "By producing filtration filters using mostly incinerated recycled fibers, Gyeonggi Province aims to improve indoor air quality in underground stations where natural ventilation is difficult, while also contributing to waste reduction through fiber recycling, achieving two effects simultaneously." He added, "We expect the upcycled filtration filter to protect residents' health from air pollutants."