Gwangju Seo-gu, Dongcheon-dong Designated as 'Fine Dust Safe Zone' Collecting Residents' Opinions

Published 03 Mar.2022 16:12(KST)

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Shin Dong-ho] Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City announced on the 3rd that it will collect residents' opinions until the 14th in preparation for the new designation of the fine dust safety zone 'Dongcheon-dong' in 2022.

The fine dust intensive management zone (fine dust safety zone) is an area designated under the "Special Act on the Reduction and Management of Fine Dust" where the annual average concentration of fine dust or ultrafine dust exceeds environmental standards, and facilities used by vulnerable groups are concentrated. In these zones, projects to reduce fine dust, such as installing air purification facilities, are intensively promoted.

Since the annual average concentration of fine dust in the Gwangju area is similar, Seo-gu set the safety zones in the order of the density of facilities used by vulnerable groups.

Last year, 'Geumho 2-dong' was designated for the first time in the region, and a budget of 180 million KRW was supported to promote the project.

This year, Seo-gu plans to additionally designate 'Dongcheon-dong' and support the installation of air curtains in daycare centers and kindergartens in the second half of the year. It will also create fine dust traffic lights that provide real-time fine dust information in outdoor areas with dense floating populations and smart safety shelters that block the inflow of fine dust.

Before the designation of the safety zone, Seo-gu plans to complete the official announcement of the safety zone designation next month after collecting residents' opinions from the Dongcheon-dong area until the 14th and consulting with Gwangju City Hall and the Ministry of Environment.

Opinions can be submitted by various methods such as mail, fax, and email. For more details, residents can check the announcement on the Seo-gu Office website or contact the Climate and Air Quality Team of the Climate Environment Division at Seo-gu Office for guidance.

A Seo-gu official said, "We will continuously promote fine dust reduction projects tailored to the characteristics of each region to gradually expand spaces where residents can feel safe from fine dust," and added, "We ask for the interest and cooperation of residents."