Gyeonggi Province Advances 'Fine Dust Intensive Management Zone Support Project' in 7 Locations Including Youngtong-ro in Suwon

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Park No-hoon] Gyeonggi Province has designated 7 areas including the vicinity of Youngtong-ro in Suwon as 'fine dust intensive management zones' and is launching customized support projects for each region.

The 'fine dust intensive management zone' can be designated by mayors and county chiefs in accordance with Article 22 of the 'Special Law on Fine Dust Reduction and Management' to prevent and minimize health damages to vulnerable populations from fine dust.

The designation targets areas where the annual average concentration of fine dust (PM10) exceeds 50 micrograms (㎍) and ultra-fine dust (PM2.5) exceeds 15 micrograms (㎍), and where facilities for vulnerable populations such as daycare centers and kindergartens are densely concentrated.

Starting in March of last year with the area around Sangdaewon 1 and 3 Dong in Jung-won District, Seongnam (0.845㎢), the Province by December selected 7 areas as fine dust intensive management zones: ▲Osan Dong and Won Dong area in Osan (0.771㎢) ▲Samjeong, Ojeong, and Nae Dong area in Bucheon (1.851㎢) ▲Changjeon and Jungri Dong area in Icheon (0.72㎢) ▲Manjeong-ri, Yongdu-ri, and Seungdu-ri area in Gongdo-eup, Anseong (0.945㎢) ▲Pungdeokcheon 2 Dong area in Suji-gu, Yongin (1.47㎢) ▲Vicinity of Youngtong-ro in Suwon (0.44㎢). All are either industrial and transportation-dense areas or residential areas adjacent to dust-generating business sites.

The Province plans to invest a total of approximately 1.16 billion won—including approximately 580 million won in national treasury funds and approximately 580 million won in city and county funds—to support the installation of fine dust shelters, simple fine dust measurement devices, smart air showers, window-mounted ventilation systems, and other facilities for vulnerable population facilities.

The Province will also simultaneously proceed with projects including installation of floor lights notifying the area of being a fine dust intensive management zone, installation of fine dust intake mats, and plant wall air purification systems.

Park Dae-geun, Head of the Fine Dust Countermeasures Division of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "We will actively support various effective fine dust reduction and avoidance projects to safely protect vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly from high-concentration fine dust," and added, "We plan to continue expanding fine dust intensive management zones after conducting demand surveys and reviewing effectiveness in the future."