Chinese Fireworks Blamed for South Korea’s Fine Dust Pollution, Research Shows

As a result of a component analysis by the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science…

The source of the ultrafine dust that covered the sky during the Lunar New Year holiday has been identified. To cut to the chase, experts estimate that about half of the ultrafine dust across South Korea is due to the impact of fireworks in China.

 

During the Lunar New Year holiday on the 11th and 12th, the concentration of ultrafine dust nationwide was at a “bad” level. There were speculations that this could be due to the fireworks in China during their similar holiday period, the Spring Festival.

Amidst this, on the 19th, SBS News reported the results of a component analysis by the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science on the ultrafine dust concentration in Taean, Chungcheongnam-do, which is close to China.

The media reported that while nitrate and sulfate typically increase and sulfate remain unchanged when the ultrafine dust level rises in early February, both nitrate and sulfate increased during the Chinese Spring Festival period.

Sulfate is a component primarily released when fireworks explode.

An official from the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science explained to the media, “During the fireworks period, nitrate and sulfate levels were almost similar. Overall, the impact of fireworks is very significant”.

NASA satellite images also supported this claim. On the 11th, dust flowing from China to Korea was captured as a gray band, and it was confirmed that the spread across the country the next day was also observed.

Excessive exposure to ultrafine dust can cause or exacerbate heart and lung-related diseases. It can directly and indirectly increase mortality rates.

When the concentration of ultrafine dust is high, it is advisable to refrain from going out and reduce outdoor activities as much as possible. Also, to maintain a clean indoor environment, it is necessary to regularly clean living spaces to reduce the accumulation of fine dust. Placing air purifiers where much time is spent can also be helpful.