Gyeonggi-do Implements Seasonal Fine Dust Management System...Strengthening Enforcement Including Restrictions on Old Vehicle Operation

[Asia Economy (Suwon) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] Gyeonggi Province will implement a seasonal fine dust management system from December to March next year, which includes restrictions on the operation of old vehicles and intensive management of businesses that emit large amounts of pollutants.

Gyeonggi Province announced on the 22nd that the results of the third seasonal management system, implemented from December last year to March this year, showed that the average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) was 26㎍/㎥, a 10% improvement compared to the previous year (29㎍/㎥), and the number of bad air quality days decreased by 4 days from 34 to 30, indicating the policy's effectiveness. Therefore, they decided to strengthen and promote the fourth seasonal management system.

The seasonal fine dust management system, which started in 2019, is a system that implements enhanced fine dust emission reduction and management measures from December to March of the following year to mitigate the occurrence of high concentrations of fine dust and protect the health of residents.

In preparation for the fourth seasonal management period, the province has set a target average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at 25㎍/㎥ and selected 19 implementation tasks across six major sectors: transportation, industry, daily life, health protection, information provision, and cooperation enhancement.

First, the core project of the seasonal management system, restricting the operation of grade 5 emission vehicles in the transportation sector, will be enforced on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Among the grade 5 vehicles registered nationwide, vehicles that have not undergone low-emission measures will be fined 100,000 KRW per day if caught.

During the third period last year, grade 5 vehicles registered outside the metropolitan area were exempted from fines if they completed low-emission measures by September this year. However, this time, they will be subject to fines. Only fire trucks, ambulances, and vehicles for the disabled, as specified in the Special Act on the Reduction and Management of Fine Dust, are exempt from enforcement.

The province will check compliance with sulfur content standards for ship fuel oil at Pyeongtaek Port to reduce fine dust from ships and ports, and will also inspect dust-emitting businesses such as grain handling facilities within the port.

In the industrial sector, among approximately 18,000 air-emitting businesses located in Gyeonggi Province, about 2,500 businesses, focusing on large-scale businesses of three or more types and those with frequent complaints, will be intensively inspected. During the spring, when fine dust worsens, a support team will operate to ensure actual emission reductions at voluntary reduction businesses in power generation and heating sectors.

Additionally, the province will inspect energy usage at 75 affiliated institutions to ensure compliance with the strengthened public sector energy-saving guidelines starting this year, including maintaining indoor heating temperatures below 17 degrees Celsius, sequential suspension of heating devices during peak electricity hours, and prohibition of personal heating devices.

In the daily life sector, to properly dispose of agricultural residues generated after farming activities, shredding services will be operated, and a joint inspection team from agricultural, environmental, and forestry departments (31 cities/counties, 42 inspection teams) will monitor illegal burning in rural areas to prevent fine dust generation in advance.

Furthermore, to manage road dust, which accounts for a large portion of fine dust emissions, 558 road cleaning vehicles will be used to strengthen fine dust management on major roads in cooperation with cities and counties.

Using 364 local-level fine dust illegal emission monitoring teams and 52 private fine dust response practice teams involving residents, the province will monitor pollution sources in daily life and conduct inspections through monitoring.

In the health protection sector, special indoor air quality inspections will be conducted at 813 multi-use facilities vulnerable to high concentrations of fine dust, such as transportation facilities, and pollution tests will be conducted at 100 locations.

In underground stations where the daily average concentration of fine particulate matter exceeds 50㎍/㎥ frequently, ventilation systems and wet cleaning will be implemented to strengthen air quality management.

The number of intensive fine dust management zones, which provide fine dust information and support reduction facilities, has increased from 10 to 13 this year with the addition of Gimpo, Yongin, and Suwon. These zones support life-friendly facilities such as ventilation systems, smart air showers, and fine dust absorption mats.

A full inspection will be conducted on 12,501 facilities used by sensitive and vulnerable groups such as daycare centers, facilities for the disabled, and elderly welfare facilities. Among these, 1,808 locations will undergo additional on-site inspections linked to winter safety checks to verify compliance with fine dust manuals, installation and proper management of air purifiers, and other measures.

Um Jin-seop, Director of the Provincial Environment Bureau, said, "For the seasonal management system to succeed, residents' practical actions in daily life and active participation are very important," and asked for interest and cooperation.

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