Nowon-gu Conducts Sand Disinfection Twice a Year at 404 Playgrounds

Sand Disinfection for a Total of 404 Sites Covering 70,453㎡ Including Children's and Neighborhood Park Playgrounds...Increasing Sand Disinfection Frequency from Once to Twice Annually for Private Playgrounds in Kindergartens and Schools

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) is conducting "sandbox disinfection" at children's playgrounds to provide safe and pleasant play spaces for children.

With a budget of 272 million KRW, the playground sandbox disinfection covers a total of 404 playgrounds including ▲103 children's and neighborhood parks ▲221 apartment complexes ▲41 daycare centers and kindergartens ▲39 elementary schools, spanning a total area of 70,453㎡.

Currently, the district regularly disinfects children's parks and neighborhood parks 3 to 4 times a year, whereas private playgrounds such as kindergartens are disinfected only once annually. To ensure children's safety, the number of disinfections has been increased to twice a year starting this year. Sandbox disinfection begins this month with kindergartens and daycare centers, followed by schools and apartment complex playgrounds.

The process starts by using a soil cultivator to dig and turn over the sand to a depth of 30cm. All debris, including various trash and excrement, is removed to improve sand aeration and facilitate moisture drainage.

Next, a "high-concentration eco-friendly ozone water" is sprayed at high pressure to sterilize and disinfect parasite eggs, E. coli, general bacteria, and pathogenic bacteria. Finally, a coating process is applied by spraying an "inorganic antimicrobial agent" to enhance the durability of the disinfection. Washed sand is supplemented where sand is insufficient.

After the sandbox disinfection, the district sends samples to the Seoul Metropolitan Institute of Health and Environment to test for bacterial contamination. The sample tests include 12 items such as parasite egg tests for dog and cat roundworms and heavy metal tests for copper, cadmium, and lead.

Once the disinfection work is completed, a notice indicating the sandbox disinfection date and test results for parasite eggs and heavy metal residues will be posted at the playground so residents can use it with confidence.

The district's dedicated sandbox disinfection staff handle children's and neighborhood parks, while private contractors are responsible for playgrounds in apartment complexes, schools, and kindergartens.

Last year, the district disinfected sandboxes at a total of 396 playgrounds including ▲101 children's and neighborhood parks ▲221 apartment complexes ▲35 daycare centers and kindergartens ▲38 schools.

District Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, "With the sandbox disinfection work, children will be able to play safely during the outdoor activity season," and added, "We will continue to strive to provide a safe and pleasant environment for children using the parks."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.