Naju-si Odor Integrated Control Center, Playing a Key Role as Environmental Guardian

Opened in July last year as the first of its kind in Jeollanam-do, the ‘Naju City Odor Integrated Control Center’ is playing a crucial role in resolving odor complaints and maintaining a pleasant urban environment.

Utilizing cutting-edge technology for odor prevention and rapid on-site response, the center also serves as a dedicated odor complaint desk, alleviating grievances of residents suffering from odors and earning praise for its empathetic, field-oriented administration.

According to Naju City on the 16th, the Odor Integrated Control Center, located on the 3rd floor of the city hall annex, is equipped with an integrated monitoring system that visualizes odor occurrence situations through innovative technologies such as Geographic Information System (GIS).

Inside the 'Naju City Odor Integrated Control Center,' which Naju City opened in July last year as the first local government in the province [Photo by Naju City]

Six environmental experts work in two shifts, morning and afternoon, collecting real-time odor data year-round and converting it into data.

This enables proactive and systematic odor management, including predicting odor occurrences and tracking the routes before and after odor events.

Currently, 31 odor measuring devices are installed and operated near major odor-emitting facilities within Naju City.

These devices precisely measure and transmit odor factors such as composite odor, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and total volatile organic compounds every minute, allowing for real-time response.

For facilities with frequent odor complaints, continuous patrols and on-site inspections are conducted during vulnerable nighttime hours to capture odors, and strict enforcement is applied if measured levels exceed standards.

To date, 508 guidance inspections have been conducted on major odor-emitting facilities, with 13 facilities designated as targets for prosecution and reporting, resulting in administrative actions.

Since the center’s opening, citizens have also benefited from access to odor information from major odor-emitting facilities.

By accessing the city hall website’s ‘Odor Complaint Report’ via computer or mobile, users can check odor substance measurement values (numerical graphs) collected through odor measuring devices, as well as odor grades by time.

The site provides 24-hour odor complaint reporting and reception, and detailed disclosure of complaint locations and contents by region, including those filed by others.

Center staff promptly respond by phone and take on-site action (the next day after midnight) for odor complaints received via phone or the website, earning praise for a different level of complaint handling compared to before.

Previously, odor complaints were handled by the Environmental Management Division during working hours and by the duty office afterward, but difficulties arose due to workload and lack of expertise among duty staff.

Since the center’s establishment, immediate action has been possible through the deployment of specialized personnel, resulting in a significant increase in on-site inspections of odor occurrence sites?from 151 cases between January and May 2023 before the center’s opening to 508 cases in the same period this year.

Choi Seung-gyu, chairman of the Bitgaram-dong Residents’ Autonomy Committee, said, “Previously, odors were very frequent and severe during the time when responsible staff left work, but since the center was established, I feel it has improved a lot. Above all, I highly appreciate that the handling of frustrating odor complaints has become faster and more accurate.”

Meanwhile, since the beginning of this year, the Naju City Odor Integrated Control Center, the first of its kind established in Jeollanam-do, has attracted continuous interest from other local governments, including visits from Jeju Province and Incheon Metropolitan City to observe advanced odor management cases.

Mayor Yoon Byung-tae stated, “Odor is a top priority issue that must be resolved to improve urban living conditions. Through the operation of the center, more systematic complaint handling and immediate on-site actions are being carried out than before.”

He added, “We will create a more pleasant urban environment that citizens can truly feel by thoroughly guiding and cracking down on odor-emitting facilities to raise environmental awareness among business owners, as well as by conducting odor reduction projects in parallel.”

Naju = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yuk-bong baekok@asiae.co.kr