Fine dust to continue throughout weekend

Fine dust blurs the skies in central Seoul, Friday. The high fine dust concentration levels are expected to continue throughout the weekend. Yonhap

By Lee Hyo-jin

A thick layer of fine dust has blanketed the sky over the greater Seoul area and western parts of the country since Thursday, while high concentration levels are expected to continue throughout the weekend.

According to the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), under the Ministry of Environment, fine-dust density levels were “bad,” and temporarily reached “very bad” across Seoul, Incheon, Gyeonggi and South Chungcheong provinces, Friday.

The institute, which forecasts air quality, categorizes concentrations of fine dust, or PM10 particles, between 81 and 150 micrograms per cubic meter as “bad,” and more than 151 as “very bad.” Ultrafine dust ― also known as PM 2.5 ― above 35 micrograms per cubic meter is categorized as “bad,” and above 75 micrograms per cubic meter is categorized as “very bad.”

Spring is typically the peak season for fine dust here, but the alarmingly high concentration levels of recent days are attributable to stagnant air above the Korean Peninsula creating a windless climate, keeping air pollutants trapped in the air above the country, according to NIER.

“The high concentration of ultrafine dust, currently centered on the central-western region of the country, is caused by stagnant air, due to high pressure forming above the peninsula. The current situation is likely to continue until Monday,” an official at the NIER explained.

The environment ministry and local governments have enforced emergency emission reduction measures across Seoul and its surrounding areas for two-consecutive days, starting Thursday.

Under the measures, the use of grade 5 emission vehicles is restricted from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and construction sites are required to reduce or adjust operating hours. A grade 5 vehicle refers to a small to mid-sized diesel automobile manufactured before July 2002, or a gasoline-powered automobile made before 1987.