Yongin City Launches Strong Fine Dust Reduction Measures...Targeting Urban-Rural Composite City Characteristics

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hun] Yongin Special City is taking action to reduce fine dust emissions and create a clean atmospheric environment by cutting emissions from major pollution sources including vehicles, businesses, and rural areas.

The city announced on the 14th that it has established a detailed plan for the Fourth Fine Dust Seasonal Management Plan containing these measures and will implement it from this month through March next year.

The Fine Dust Seasonal Management Plan is a system that pursues stronger fine dust emission reduction measures than usual from winter when high-concentration fine dust occurs through the following spring. It was first introduced in 2019.

In active cooperation with the government's Fourth Fine Dust Seasonal Management Plan, this plan has set a target of achieving 28㎍/㎥ based on ultrafine dust (PM2.5).

The average ultrafine dust in Yongin City for the same period last year was recorded at 29㎍/㎥.

Based on advisory opinions from the Fine Dust Reduction and Response·Measures Committee, the city will pursue 21 detailed projects across five sectors: industrial sector, emissions reduction from daily surroundings, transportation sector, health protection of sensitive and vulnerable populations, and strengthened inter-departmental cooperation.

First, in the industrial sector, the city will promote atmospheric pollutant emission reduction projects for small businesses and strengthen intensive crackdowns on illegal fine dust emissions from businesses by expanding surveillance personnel and equipment for monitoring fine dust emissions.

In the daily surroundings emissions reduction sector, the city will restrict the use of aged construction machinery at government-funded construction sites worth 100 billion won or more, manage fine dust from fugitive dust business sites, and intensively collect farming waste through a waste vinyl collection compensation system and operation of 12 joint collection points.

Additionally, the city will help farmers properly dispose of agricultural waste through branch chipping machine rental services and continue providing training to eliminate illegal burning through visits to towns, townships, and administrative dongs.

In the transportation sector, the city will restrict the operation of vehicles with emission grade 5, continue to provide support for vehicle emission reduction devices and eco-friendly vehicles, and strengthen emission inspection enforcement when high-concentration emergency measures are issued.

To protect the health of sensitive and vulnerable populations, the city will provide air purifiers to facilities used by vulnerable groups and conduct intensive inspections of proper operation of fine dust reduction facilities in the concentrated management areas of Pungdeok-cheon 2-dong and Singal-dong.

For this purpose, the city will operate a seasonal management plan task force team composed of 23 departments headed by the Vice Mayor and collaborate by holding discussion sessions to eliminate illegal burning in agricultural areas.

A city official stated, "Active participation from citizens is necessary for the smooth implementation of this fine dust seasonal management plan."