Report criticises Bulgarian air quality

An air monitoring study has put Bulgaria bottom of the pile in the EU when it comes to pollution.

Environmental analysis by the bloc's ministry of environment and water found that air quality in Bulgaria was significantly lower than other member states, reports the Sofia Echo.

Data found an average dust concentration of 92 mg per cubic metre in Pernik, a figure which compared with an average of 30 mg for the rest of Europe.

Air quality in Bulgaria is polluted by an average of 55 mg per cubic metre overall, the study showed.

Old vehicles in the country, which often have inefficient catalytic converters, were cited as a contributing factor to the high levels of pollution exposed in the air monitoring research.

The findings come after the Bulgaria government's new waste water disposal project was boosted by the support of 114 municipalities across the country.

Areas with populations of between 2,000 and 10,000 could benefit from improved waste water disposal facilities as part of the project, the Sofia Echo reported.