Fresh air in big cities?

Over 70 percent of the Bulgarian population lives in the cities, just like the rest of the Europeans. Too many cars, central heating, industry – these all lead inevitably to a more polluted air. Hence the greater risk for human health and environmental issues. That is why it is natural people to be interested in the quality of the air they breathe. Bulgaria has managed to solve some of the problems, related to polluted air, despite being behind in the ecological sphere, compared to developed European countries. For instance, there are few cases left, regarding the exceeded norms of sulphur oxide, Environmental Minister Nona Karadjova says. It is so because many of the power plants that cause that kind of pollution have been modernized through the years. The town of Stara Zagora is one of the hot spots in this country, as far as dissatisfaction and protests against air pollution are concerned. The reason lies in the fact that the town has been gassed many times through the years. The military ground in Zmeyovo is blamed for that pollution because of the destroying of military shells there. So its closure is demanded. According to Minister Karadjova there are speculations, regarding the site, and the reasons for the pollution are complex – transport, gas burners and several industrial enterprises. This all combines with кхоьэдиьфве weather conditions, such as the total lack of wind. The Bulgarian ministry of environment has adopted an action plan for prevention of exceeded norms of sulfur oxide and has provided the creation of a system for early warning for unfavourable meteorological processes.
However, the most serious problem that the state has to solve is related to the exceeded levels of particulates in the air of 30 cities and towns. The government has received a letter from Brussels, alarming that the particulates over several Bulgarian cities do exceed the norms. Sofia, Plovdiv, Vidin and Pernik are the most problematic ones. The EC may sue Bulgaria, if there are no convincing municipal programs prepared by March for overcoming the problem. This country couldn’t present such programs in 2009, thus missing the chance to obtain a postponing period for implementation of the European demands. Now the EC gives us a second chance within much shorter a period.
“A new European directive was adopted in 2008 on the air quality with levels provided for the major pollutants – Mr. Ivan Angelov, head of the Air Directorate at the environmental ministry explains. – We don’t have any problems in this country, as far as sulphur and nitrogen dioxide, benzene, ozone, carbon dioxide and lead are concerned. The exceeding is related to particular matter. According to the World Health Organization there is no threshold, under which particulars are harmless. We took steps for updating of municipal programs with measures for decreasing of the pollution, caused by particulars. The municipalities will have to prepare and present those programs to us in the beginning of this year. Thus on one hand we will be able to ask for exceeded deadlines and on the other – we will receive a real improvement of the air quality, regarding this component.”
If the EC approves the municipal programs, the deadline will be extended till June 2011 and Bulgaria won’t be sued. The pollution is due mainly to the facts that municipalities do not wash the streets regularly, while at the same time real estate companies do not put protective nets around construction sites and do not wash the trucks that carry out waste materials. Transport and the massive wood and coal heating come as another reason for the pollution. According to Minister Karadjova the first three problems can be overcome with strict control, while the issue with the heating is a bit more complicated, since it requires a change of domestic heating appliances.

“There are two major documents that are currently developed in Bulgaria’s energy strategy – Minister Karadjova says. – These are the program for accelerated gasification and the one for heating of the country that are being worked on. At the same time we take other measures together with the ministry of labour and social policy that is in charge of energy aids. The idea is the money, provided to poor people for wood and coal expenses to be replaced by green energy aids. Thus eco-briquettes and eco-palettes can be used for instance and less harmful emissions will pollute the air this way.”