Primary metal industries, including steel manufacturing and cement, were the largest source of air pollution-causing fine particles among industries as of 2015, government data showed Thursday. The data, submitted by the environment ministry to ruling party lawmaker Shin Chang-hyun, said the industries topped the list of fine particle sources by emitting 62,000 tons of the air pollutant.

The power generation industry came next with 37,000 tons, trailed by the industries of shipbuilding and construction machinery with 32,300 tons, diesel-powered cargo trucks with 22,809 tons and the petrochemical industry with 21,690 tons. During the reported year, combustion in boilers at buildings of commercial and public institutions showed the biggest growth rate of fine particle emissions at 47.9 percent, followed by dust scattering in construction sites at 38.1 percent, and mountain fires and other blazes at 16.3 percent. The taxi and van industries saw their emissions of fine particles fall 23 percent and 17 percent, respectively, from a year ago. The decline is attributed to the disposal of decrepit vehicles in the industries.

(Yonhap)