Pyeongtaek Shows Results in Fine Dust Reduction Efforts

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Pyeongtaek City announced that its efforts to reduce fine dust are showing results.

Pyeongtaek Mayor Jung Jang-sun presented the city's comprehensive 2020 fine dust achievements through an online briefing on the 16th. Mayor Jung stated, "The thick fine dust in Pyeongtaek, which was at the lowest level nationwide, has been significantly reduced. In particular, from January to April this year, ultrafine dust concentration decreased by 40% compared to the same period last year," he explained. For reference, Gyeonggi Province decreased by 29%, and the national average by 31%.

Mayor Jung revealed, "This is the result of the 'Pyeongtaek Blue Sky Project,' which has been in operation since July 2018 to reduce fine dust and ultrafine dust."

Pyeongtaek Port, which is included in the Special Law on Improvement of Port Air Quality, has been designated as a port air quality management area, showing effectiveness in regulating sulfur oxide emissions.

In addition, four heavy oil power generation units at Korea Western Power have been converted to clean fuel. As a result, fine dust emissions from the power plant, which previously generated 22 tons annually, are expected to be reduced by 84%.

The city is also making efforts to increase environmentally friendly transportation means in the area, including operating vehicle emission reduction projects (early vehicle scrapping, etc.) and distributing eco-friendly vehicles such as hydrogen and electric cars.

Additionally, the city plans to create an urban forest and plant 2.56 million trees to make all of Pyeongtaek a green belt.

The city is also focusing on reducing fine dust in daily life, including supplying eco-friendly (low-NOx) boilers for households and operating water spray trucks to reduce road dust.

Mayor Jung said, "We will continue to make intensive efforts to reduce fine dust."

Meanwhile, a city official explained the direction of the Jije Station Complex Transportation Hub project, which has been facing difficulties, and stated that the city will acquire the site according to the conditions of the implementation plan approval to secure public interest in the complex transportation hub. The city also announced plans to promote the transportation hub as a public-private joint development project.