Increase in 'Good' Days of Fine Dust Concentration in Incheon... Effect of Seasonal Fine Dust Management Policy

Fine Dust in the City Center

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Incheon City announced on the 20th that as a result of implementing the 'Seasonal Fine Dust Management System' for four months from December last year to last month, the concentration of ultrafine dust (PM2.5) decreased by 2㎍/㎥ to 26㎍/㎥ compared to the recent three-year average (28㎍/㎥).

In particular, the number of 'bad' days (exceeding 35㎍/㎥) was 22 days, which is 9 days (29%) less than the recent three-year average of 31 days, and the number of 'good' days (15㎍/㎥ or less) increased by 11 days (40.7%) to 38 days compared to 27 days during the same period.

The city analyzed that despite unfavorable conditions for air quality improvement, such as the recent increase in the operating rate of factories in China, these effects appeared as a result of the combined influence of the Seasonal Fine Dust Management System, the implementation of Incheon-type ultrafine dust emergency reduction measures, COVID-19, and other domestic and international situations.

During the Seasonal Fine Dust Management period, the city remotely monitored fine dust concentrations in real time at a total of 45 construction sites and intermediate waste treatment companies, and signed agreements with 43 total quantity management sites to induce an additional reduction of more than 5% in pollutant emissions.

Additionally, two coal-fired power plants were shut down, and an upper limit operation system was continuously operated to run four plants at only 80% output, reducing ultrafine dust emissions by 160 tons compared to the same period last year.

Furthermore, the city focused on restricting the operation of grade 5 emission vehicles, strengthening cleaning of concentrated management roads, inducing additional reductions at large pollutant-emitting businesses such as power generation and refining companies, intensively monitoring air pollution emission sites, operating fine dust concentrated management zones, and preventing illegal burning of agricultural waste and residues in rural farming areas.

An official from Incheon City stated, "Despite unfavorable conditions such as high-concentration emergency reduction measures and yellow dust, we achieved the intended results through the active participation of citizens and businesses," and added, "We will continue to develop policies that citizens can feel and do our best to create a city free from fine dust concerns."

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