Pyeongtaek City Identifies 32 Businesses Violating Pollutant Discharge Standards...Using Drones and Advanced Equipment

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Pyeongtaek City announced on the 4th that it has identified violations at 32 businesses through guidance and inspection operations from November of last year through March of this year targeting winter waste disposal, fine (airborne) dust, water quality, and various air pollutant discharge facilities.

The violations include 7 cases of unreported air emission facilities, 2 cases of non-operating air prevention facilities, 8 cases of failure to report or implement suppression measures for dust-generating businesses, 6 cases of unauthorized (unreported) waste disposal, 3 cases of surrounding environmental pollution including public waterways, 3 cases of unreported wastewater discharge facilities, and 3 cases of waste storage outside designated storage areas, among others.

The city is taking administrative measures and prosecution against violating businesses, including business suspension, waste remediation orders, and fines.

The city explained that major violation cases include ▲illegal disposal of hundreds of tons of waste without authorization ▲attempted export of waste through unauthorized waste treatment businesses ▲discharge of pollutants without operating air prevention facilities ▲construction proceeding without reporting or implementing dust suppression measures ▲unreported air and wastewater discharge facilities ▲abandonment of waste stored outside designated storage areas, among others.

A city official stated, "Some businesses engage in illegal activities covertly, so we are identifying on-site violations using advanced equipment such as drones. While Pyeongtaek's fine dust has recently decreased, we will conduct continuous and rigorous guidance and inspections to establish compliance awareness among business operators and achieve greater results in creating 'clear skies and green Pyeongtaek,'" the official said.