Air quality in Bulgaria: where to check and what to do

Short answer. Check the Executive Environment Agency's (ExEA) real-time air quality system, which maps the national monitoring stations and follows the European Air Quality Index ¹². That index has six levels, from Good to Extremely poor ⁵. Fine particles are the main problem: in the heating season they come mostly from homes burning coal and wood ⁴. Phaenyx found no public pollution-alert service on the ExEA portal.

Where can I check air quality right now?

The ExEA system shows the stations of the National Automated Air Quality Monitoring System on a map, with the concentrations each one measures ¹². The real-time data are preliminary and still to be checked; final data appear in ExEA's quarterly and annual bulletins ¹. Some stations sample by hand, so their results are not shown in real time ⁴. Exceedances of the daily PM10 limit are reported in ExEA's daily air quality bulletin ⁴.

The European Environment Agency's index map covers Europe with hourly station data reported by member countries, plus a modelled 1 x 1 km layer for places with no station nearby and forecasts for the next 48 hours ⁵.

What do the index levels mean?

The ExEA system relies on national and EU limits and on the European Air Quality Index ¹; Phaenyx found no separate Bulgarian index. On the ExEA system, each pollutant graph links to a note on its health effects ⁴. The EEA scale, set on the worst of five pollutants each hour ⁵:

The EEA's sensitive group means adults and children with breathing problems and adults with heart conditions ⁵. See Air quality index explained.

How polluted is the air on average?

The population-weighted median of Bulgarian cities shows about 15 µg/m³ of PM2.5 (annual mean 2021-2023) ⁶, three times the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³ ⁸. Nitrogen dioxide is about 8.5 µg/m³ ⁷, below the WHO guideline of 10 µg/m³ ⁸. That NO2 figure is a regional background over roughly 80 km: a busy street will be higher.

ExEA names fine particles as the main air problem for Sofia and the country. In the heating season, PM10 comes mainly from solid-fuel home heating; temperature inversion, fog and still air trap it near the ground, while rain and wind disperse it ⁴.

What should I do on a bad air day, or with smoke or dust?

In an industrial accident or toxic cloud, stay indoors with ventilation off and windows closed ⁹; for ozone, smoke and dust, follow the advice below.

• Winter smog and ozone: the ozone information threshold is 180 µg/m³ over one hour; the warning threshold is 240 µg/m³ over one hour, measured or forecast for three hours in a row ³. See Pollution episodes, Ozone days, Sensitive people and polluted air and Children and polluted air.
• Industrial accident or toxic cloud: GDPBZN says at home switch off ventilation and air conditioning, close windows, doors and vents and seal them with wet towels, blankets or curtains, and do not go out. Outdoors, leave the area at right angles to the wind and cover your mouth and nose ⁹. Warnings come through national radio and TV, the early-warning sirens and BG-ALERT ⁹; see our Bulgaria alerts page.
• Wildfire smoke: if the smoke grows, leave in a safe direction; if smoke suddenly surrounds you, leave at once and cover your nose and mouth with a wet cloth ¹⁰. See Wildfire smoke, A clean-air room at home and Masks for smoke.
• Dust: see Dust storms.

A household plan can note who in your home is sensitive to polluted air and where to shelter.

Frequently asked questions

Does Bulgaria send air pollution alerts?

Emergency warnings go through sirens and BG-ALERT ⁹. Phaenyx found no public pollution-alert service on the ExEA portal.

What causes winter smog in Bulgaria?

Mainly coal and wood burned for home heating, trapped by inversions, fog and still air ⁴.

Is the real-time data final?

No. It is preliminary; verified data are published in ExEA's quarterly and annual bulletins ¹.

What level of ozone triggers public information?

180 µg/m³ over one hour; the warning threshold is 240 µg/m³ for three hours in a row ³.