Yongin City to Implement "Seasonal Fine Dust Management System" Until March Next Year
Yongin City in Gyeonggi Province has established a cooperative system with 13 major construction sites within its jurisdiction to reduce fine dust during the winter season.
On December 4, Yongin City announced that it has formulated and will implement the "7th Seasonal Fine Dust Management Plan" until March next year to reduce fine dust. The "Seasonal Fine Dust Management System" is a policy that strengthens the reduction and management of fine dust emissions every year from December to the following March, when fine dust concentrations are high.
During the seasonal management period, the city will pursue 24 initiatives across five sectors-transportation, industry, citizen health protection, interdepartmental cooperation, and the public sector-with the goal of achieving an ultrafine dust concentration of 25㎍/㎥.
Lee Sangil, Mayor of Yongin, stated, "We have sought stronger measures to respond to the rise in fine dust concentrations during the winter," adding, "Through the Seasonal Fine Dust Management System, we will systematically implement reduction measures in each field."
During the implementation period, the city will provide support for low-emission and eco-friendly vehicles, as well as conduct frequent inspections of vehicle emissions, including idling. From 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, excluding holidays, operation of grade 5 emission vehicles will be restricted. Violators will be fined 100,000 won.
In the industrial sector, the city will intensively crack down on illegal emissions of air pollutants from business sites and conduct integrated inspections of industries that both operate air pollutant emission facilities and are classified as sites with constant fugitive dust emissions.
For multi-use facilities such as subway stations and libraries, the city will conduct special inspections to ensure proper operation of ventilation and air purification systems, and will operate 21 fine dust shelters. In four newly designated intensive fine dust management zones this year, including Yeokbuk-dong in Cheoin-gu, special inspections will be carried out to ensure proper operation of fine dust reduction facilities.
To reduce road resuspended dust, the city will designate 10 sections totaling 20.2 kilometers as intensive management roads, using road sweepers for cleaning, and will operate city water supply units and automatic road surface washing systems.
To eradicate illegal burning in rural areas, the city will provide mobile education for farmers and operate three support teams to help properly process agricultural residues.
In particular, to reduce fine dust at construction sites, the city has entered into voluntary agreements with 13 major construction sites in the region. Participating companies include SK Ecoplant, Daekwang Construction, LT Sambo, Daewoo Engineering & Construction, Dongbu Construction, GS Engineering & Construction, Hoban Industrial, Lotte Engineering & Construction, Youngjin General Construction, and POSCO E&C.
Under the agreement, participating companies will adjust or shorten work hours for operations that generate large amounts of fugitive dust during emergency reduction periods, and will assign dedicated environmental personnel to strengthen management of fugitive dust around construction sites. In addition, the use of old construction machinery that has not undergone low-emission modifications will be restricted, and water spray trucks will be used to clean roads near construction sites.
Furthermore, during the seasonal management period, the city will improve operational methods by conducting regular inspections of municipal solid waste incineration facilities and will implement an alternate-day vehicle operation system for administrative and public institutions when emergency reduction measures are issued.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
