Gwanak-gu Tackles Winter's Unwelcome Guest, Fine Dust, with Seasonal Management Measures

Driving restrictions for Grade 5 vehicles and strengthened emission and idling crackdowns, twice-daily cleaning of priority management roads

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gwanak-gu (District Mayor Park Jun-hee) is operating the ‘Seasonal Fine Dust Management System’ from the 1st of this month until the end of March next year to improve air quality where people can breathe easily, as fine dust threatens our daily lives again with the cold wind blowing.

The ‘Seasonal Fine Dust Management System’ is a differentiated preemptive special measure that intensively manages fine dust by operating stronger reduction measures than usual from winter, when high concentrations of fine dust frequently occur, to early spring. It complements the limitations of the ‘Emergency Reduction Measures’ taken reactively after fine dust concentrations have already risen.

During the four winter months when high concentrations of fine dust frequently occur, the district will focus on implementing a total of 10 tasks to reduce emissions from the three major sources of fine dust?transportation, heating, and workplaces?and minimize residents’ exposure to fine dust.

First, as a measure in the transportation sector, the restriction on driving vehicles with emission grade 5 will be expanded from the Green Transportation Zone to the entire Seoul area, limiting operation on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

A fine of 100,000 KRW will be imposed for violations. Additionally, enforcement of emission and idling inspections for operating vehicles will be strengthened, and special inspections at private vehicle inspection centers will be conducted.

Management and inspection of workplaces emitting air pollutants will also be strengthened. During the implementation period, a TF team will be formed to conduct thorough inspections of 82 workplaces and construction sites in the area.

To minimize citizens’ exposure to fine dust on roads, during the seasonal period, road cleaning will be conducted more than twice daily on the district’s fine dust intensive management road (Nambusunhwan-ro 1588 to Sadang Station Exit 6, 5 km), and the daily cleaning route for cleaning vehicles will be expanded from 50 km to 60 km.

In addition, appropriate heating temperatures will be intensively managed for three large energy-consuming buildings during winter, and special inspections will be conducted on ventilation equipment operation at 20 indoor air quality sites including vulnerable groups and multi-use facilities.

In particular, Gwanak-gu achieved first place among Seoul’s autonomous districts by supplying a total of 10,778 eco-friendly boilers in 2020 to enhance the effect of the seasonal management system.

The district plans to strengthen enforcement of the mandatory installation of eco-friendly boilers and enhance promotion for expanding the supply of eco-friendly boilers in 2021.

District Mayor Park Jun-hee said, “Reducing fine dust is a social task that can no longer be delayed, and we will concentrate all administrative power on strong and continuous efforts.” He added, “We ask residents for active interest and participation even if there is some inconvenience due to the implementation of the Seasonal Fine Dust Management System.”

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