This morning, the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water (RIEW) in Veliko Tarnovo received more than 100 reports of air pollution and the smell of wood and glue, as well as a bluish haze in various parts of the city. A distinct smell of wood was also detected near the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water building, and a bluish haze was observed over the entire city. An inspection was also conducted in the “Kolyu Ficheto” and “Zone B” neighborhoods, with those who filed the reports participating in the site visit.

The specific odor and haze detected are the result of the resumption of operations at the particleboard production line at “Kronospan Bulgaria” EOOD. Once again, the company failed to comply with the terms of Complex Permit No. 570-N0/2018 and allowed odors to spread beyond the boundaries of the production site. The Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water - Veliko Tarnovo will issue a fine and impose a penalty for the identified violation.

On June 15, the Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water Resources removed the seals from the shut-down equipment on the particleboard production line in compliance with the ruling of the Supreme Administrative Court from June 9 of this year, in which the court ordered a suspension of the preliminary enforcement of the order issued by the director of RIEW- Veliko Tarnovo imposing a Compulsory Administrative Measure (CAM) for the suspension of production operations on the particleboard production line at the Kronospan Bulgaria EOOD site.

As scheduled, following the startup of production groups and the assessment of their technical condition, the line resumed normal operations on the afternoon of June 16 this year.

The Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water – Veliko Tarnovo has required Kronospan Bulgaria EOOD to submit monthly reports on the implementation of activities related to the planned expansion and modernization of the treatment facilities, as well as to exercise strict control over the utilization of production capacity.

To ensure continuous monitoring of air quality, a mobile automatic monitoring station operated by the Executive Environment Agency will be deployed in the area closest to the facility – between the “Buzludzha” and “Zone B” neighborhoods, to measure air quality indicators.