Sofia Resolves Garbage Crisis: Waste Collection Back on Track in Key Districts

Sofia Municipality has brought the city’s recent garbage crisis under control. Waste collection in the hardest-hit districts - Lyulin, Poduyane, and Slatina - has returned to a regular schedule, with most containers being emptied daily and reports of overflows sharply reduced.

Eng. Nikolay Nedelkov, director of the Sofia Inspectorate and coordinator of the municipal crisis headquarters for waste collection, confirmed that the municipal company Sofekostroy has delivered the promised equipment and personnel to support operations. Alongside regular household waste, bulky waste removal has continued, with nearly 350 tons transported to the Vrazhdebna landfill over the past five days.

Authorities are now focusing on cleaning areas surrounding the containers and inter-block spaces affected by stormy winds, a process that will require additional mobilization of machinery and personnel from other municipal departments. Nedelkov noted that updates on the progress of this work will continue to be provided to residents.

Deputy Mayor for Ecology, Nadezhda Bobcheva, highlighted that waste collection services have been stabilized across the city, using both contracted companies and increased municipal capacity where necessary. Zones 1, 2, 5, and 7 operate under active contracts or completed procurement procedures, zone 6 is served by Sofekostroy, and zone 3 remains the most challenging. There, the Sofia Waste Treatment Company is temporarily managing collection with its own resources while awaiting final court rulings on contested service orders.