Gwangju City, Integrated Inspection of Environmental Pollutant Emission Facilities

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Seon-gang] Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 3rd that it will establish and implement the 2021 integrated inspection plan for facilities emitting environmental pollutants to prevent environmental pollution in advance and provide citizens with a pleasant living environment.

This inspection will be conducted on 983 out of 1,846 environmental emission businesses in the jurisdiction that discharge air pollutants and wastewater, excluding self-inspection businesses equipped with environmental management capabilities.

In particular, during the winter season when fine dust concentration increases, inspections of large-scale air pollutant emission sites will be strengthened, and during dry seasons and the rainy season, special preventive inspections of wastewater discharge sites will be conducted to prevent water quality deterioration in the Yeongsan River and other areas.

Additionally, Gwangju City will establish a continuous monitoring system using scientific equipment such as the artificial intelligence (AI) air pollution prevention facility management system and air quality measurement vehicles it operates, and will focus inspections on related businesses if pollutants leak.

For problematic businesses that significantly threaten citizens' living environments, such as unauthorized wastewater discharge and non-operation of pollution prevention facilities, strong measures such as closure orders and prosecution will be taken.

Furthermore, for small-scale businesses with weak environmental management, a technical support team composed of 120 experts will be formed to resolve business difficulties and support the replacement costs of aging pollution prevention facilities.

Previously, Gwangju City inspected 768 pollutant-emitting businesses last year, detecting 120 violations at 115 businesses, and took administrative actions such as suspension of operations. Among these, 24 serious violations were reported to judicial authorities.

Song Yong-su, head of the Climate and Environment Policy Division of the city, said, “We will strengthen preventive activities using AI equipment to prevent environmental pollution accidents, and continuously guide and inspect vulnerable facilities to ensure that citizens can live safely and securely.”

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