Joint Comprehensive Survey by Residents and Professional Inspection Agencies on Heavy Metals in Green Coatings, Paints, Finishes, and Soil Heavy Metals
Seocho-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) announced on the 4th that it is the first local government to conduct environmental safety inspections on 672 children's activity spaces in the area in cooperation with residents, and is responding promptly to heavy metal contamination and other issues.
In April, the district formed an "Environmental Hazardous Substances Inspection Team" together with local residents and professional inspection agencies to carry out a systematic environmental safety investigation of children's activity spaces. Children's activity spaces refer to areas primarily used or occupied by children (under 13 years old), including daycare center rooms, playgrounds in residential complexes and parks, and kids cafes.
Private experts and responsible public officials are conducting on-site inspections to check compliance with environmental safety management standards for children's facilities. So far, 403 locations have been inspected, and all facilities are expected to be completed by September.
The inspection items include ▲visual inspection of facility exteriors for rust, cracks, and peeling paint ▲testing for heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium) in paints and coatings ▲checking for the use of wood preservatives in wooden facilities ▲soil testing for heavy metals and parasites ▲testing synthetic rubber flooring for heavy metals and formaldehyde ▲and indoor air testing for formaldehyde and total volatile organic compounds.
The district ensures transparency in environmental safety by providing immediate results for basic inspection items on-site. Additionally, if any basic inspection item exceeds 70% of the standard limit, samples are collected for detailed testing to obtain more accurate and professional results.
Among the 403 inspected facilities, 177 were deemed compliant, while detailed tests for formaldehyde and other substances are ongoing for 224 facilities. For the two facilities that failed the inspection, administrative measures such as facility improvement orders have been taken to promptly secure environmental safety.
A distinctive feature of the district’s inspection of children's activity spaces is the active participation of local residents. So far, over 250 residents have participated, actively checking for heavy metal contamination in apartment playground facilities and other areas.
In addition, the district operates a "Children's Playground Environment Manager" group consisting of 51 residents, working to build an environmental safety network where the entire community jointly ensures children's safety.
Mayor Jeon Seong-su stated, "We will continue to do our best to establish a thorough environmental safety network where children can play freely in a safe environment through close cooperation with residents and inspection agencies."
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