Dust level in Seoul air falls to record low

SEOUL, Aug. 9 (Yonhap) -- The level of dust found in Seoul's air fell to a record
low this year thanks to greater use of eco-friendly public transportation and
tougher emission control standards for all cars, city authorities said Sunday.
Seoul city said in the seven months of this year, the density of dust particles
stood at 58.9 micrometers per cubic meter of air, or 0.7 micrometers less than
numbers tallied for 2008. One micrometer is one millionth of a meter.
The numbers represent the lowest level detected since the city began collecting
and releasing the data in 1995, authorities said.
Overall air conditions have been improving since last year, with compressed
natural gas (CNG) replacing diesel as the main fuel for most buses operating in
the city, as well as broader use of emission control and capture devices on cars.
City authorities, in addition, claimed that support to help modify liquefied
petroleum and diesel engines in cars, a method to decrease dust, has resulted in
preventing 930 tons of dust from reaching the atmosphere.
Seoul currently maintains a plan that will convert all buses operating in the
city to use CNG by next year, with taxis and other forms of public transportation
set to use hybrid or electric power by 2020. Other measures that will be
implemented in the next five years are incentives to buy eco-friendly cars and
tightened monitoring of factories that release large quantities of dust.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)