Governors will have the authority to recommend the temporary closure of educational facilities, including schools and kindergartens, when emergency measures to reduce fine dust are initiated.

According to the Ministry of Environment, the Special Act on Fine Dust, which passed a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, takes effect on Feb. 15.

Under the law, governors will be able to recommend the temporary closure of educational facilities and flexible work arrangements to business owners if the level of fine dust is bad.

The act also provided details on groups vulnerable to fine dust, classifying children, the elderly, and pregnant women as those sensitive to the exposure of fine dust, and adding traffic officers and outdoor workers to the group with a high possibility of being exposed to fine dust.

The Ministry of Environment may also require owners of facilities that emit fine dust to take measures such as rearranging their operation time and rates of operation, in an effort to reduce emissions.

By Kim Hye-soo (clairek@heraldcorp.com)