Sofia's Air Quality Remains Within Norms, Green Ticket System Gains Traction

Air quality in Sofia was reported to be completely within permissible limits on Thursday, according to data from all monitoring stations of the Ministry of Environment and Water. The particulate matter (PM) levels remained below the threshold of 50 μg/m³ as of 16:00, ensuring compliance with established norms, Sofia Municipality confirmed.

On the same day, the Center for Urban Mobility announced that more than 40,000 passengers had utilized the "green ticket" in public transport by 12:00. The system functioned without issues, and no reports of irregularities were received. The center also reminded citizens who purchased tickets via bank cards through the automated ticketing system that the daily cost of 1 lev would be calculated at the end of the day. Any difference would be automatically refunded at midnight.

Mechanized street cleaning was conducted in areas with significant public transport usage, including Sredets, Oborishte, Vrabnitsa, Mladost, Vazrazhdane, Krasno Selo, Iskar, and Izgrev. These activities, which began on January 7, were adjusted based on weather conditions to ensure maximum effectiveness.

Sofia Inspectorate carried out 70 inspections on Thursday, leading to ten notices for violations by 16:30. Of these, 47 inspections focused on combustion sources, resulting in three notices in the neighborhoods of Poduyane, Ilinden, and Iskar. Another 23 construction sites were examined, with seven notices issued for non-compliance.

The municipality has also confirmed that the use of the green ticket will remain in effect for Friday, January 10, as a preventive measure. Since the beginning of the year, over 300 inspections have been conducted across various sites in Sofia, leading to the issuance of 20 administrative violation acts.

These efforts are part of the city’s broader strategy to manage air pollution effectively and ensure compliance with environmental standards.

Source: Sofia Municipality