Environment Ministry Implements Tough Measures to Prevent Neighborhood Air Pollution

The revision aims to expand the number of cities that require gas stations to be equipped with oil mist recovery facilities to those with populations greater than 500,000. (image: Kobiz Media / Korea Bizwire)

SEOUL, March 16 (Korea Bizwire) – When you fill up your car at a gas station, you can easily smell the gasoline. However, the smell of the oil mist includes toxic materials, and they can severely damage the air quality in the surrounding neighborhood.

To reduce air pollution resulting from daily activities such as filling up a car with gas, the Ministry of Environment announced a revision of “the Enforcement Decree of the Clean Air Conservation Act” on March 16.

The revision aims to expand the number of cities that require gas stations to be equipped with oil mist recovery facilities to those with populations greater than 500,000. Also, it extends the warranty repair term for motorcycle exhausts from 10,000km to 35,000km.

Currently, oil mist recovery facilities are mandatory at gas stations in the Seoul metropolitan area and Busan. Following the revision, gas stations in larger cities such as Ulsan and Daejeon will also have to install the recovery equipment. Facilities of this type can reduce oil mist by up to 90 percent, including toxic materials such as benzene, which are known carcinogens. In total, some 3,000 gas stations will be affected by the new regulations.

The cities that will require the use of the new equipment will be announced next year, and gas stations will have to make the required changes between 2017 and 2020 based on their sales.

With regards to the warranty repair extension, the government aims to increase the durability and longevity of the affected parts, which help reduce the emission of toxic exhaust gases. In addition, by introducing a new test method that can measure exhaust gases under real driving conditions, the government plans to reduce pollutants emitted from motorcycles by up to 87%.

A ministry official said, “The revision to the law will improve air conditions by reducing air pollution in our daily lives.”

By John Choi (johnchoi@koreabizwire.com)