This photo, provided by the Cultural Heritage Administration, shows tidal flats in South Korea.
SINAN, Sept. 14 (Korea Bizwire) — Sinan County in South Jeolla Province is stepping up to preserve its mudflats, which are inscribed as a UNESCO world natural heritage.
A new project will begin where residents of Hanbal Village in Docho Island will replace synthetic detergents with eco-friendly microorganisms to raise the quality of a local stream.
Some 50 households in the village will use yeast, lactic acid bacteria, and hay bacillus to wash dishes and do laundry and cleaning for three months, and monitor how it affects the quality of water.
Sinan County’s supply rate of a sewage treatment facility stands at 39 percent, which is far below the national average of 94 percent.
The county is also searching for various ways to purify the local stream via natural means, including wetland preservation.
The village’s local sewage goes through six small natural wetlands that grow irises and other aquatic plants to filter various contaminants before it is released to the local stream.
At the local stream near Docho Island, four release boxes that carry helpful microorganisms have been set up to release approximately 1.6 tons of microorganisms each week.
Since March, the county has been carrying out tests to monitor the quality of water in some 30 locations around Docho Island, including the local stream, wetlands, and ditches.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
