The South Korean government has tightened emission standards for air pollutants of fine-dust producing businesses such as coal-fired power plants, cement factories and steelmaking facilities.

The Ministry of Environment announced Wednesday that it will cut the permissible limits for nitrogen oxide, sulphur oxides and fine dust to PM 2.5, particulate matter (PM) with a diameter of less than 2.5μm, for 31 facilities engaging in coal-fired power generation, steelmaking, oil refining and cement manufacturing. The new standards will be imposed next year.

This is a follow-up measure to the government's roadmap announced in September last year to reduce fine dust level by 30 per cent in the country by 2022. An official from the environment ministry said it was necessary to strengthen the regulatory standards for the 31 facilities emitting much higher level of air pollutants than others.

The ministry predicted the measure would reduce the pollutants emitted from the facilities by 14,000tpa, amounting to about 14.1 per cent of the government’s reduction goal of 99,000t by 2022. The government is also mulling imposing about 30 per cent stricter emission standards from 2020 for other businesses.