YONHAP NEWS

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
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