Balgarianovinite.com Five regions in Bulgaria do not have facilities for the disposal of hazardous waste, which creates risks for the environment and public health, the Bulgarian National Audit Office (BNAO) said in an audit report covering the 2021-2024 period.
The regions without treatment facilities for hazardous waste generated by households, industry and healthcare activities are Blagoevgrad, Vidin, Gabrovo, Sliven and Smolyan.
The audit report titled “Hazardous Waste Management in Bulgaria: January 2021 – December 2024” is available in Bulgarian on the institution’s website. The audited entity is the Ministry of Environment and Water.
Hazardous waste has properties such as explosiveness, flammability, toxicity, carcinogenicity or infectivity, according to the Waste Management Act. This also includes waste generated by healthcare facilities. Mining and radioactive waste was excluded from the audit, as it is regulated under separate legislation.
The report notes that hazardous waste volumes increased from 13.7 tonnes in 2021 to nearly 16 tonnes in 2023, according to data of the National Statistical Institute, which also include waste from extractive industries.
Citing Eurostat data for 2022, the report says Bulgaria generates 2,246 kg of hazardous waste per capita, compared with an EU average of 266 kg, placing the country second in the EU after Finland.
The audit also identifies nine infringement procedures launched by the European Commission against Bulgaria for issues related to the transposition or implementation of directives on waste management, five of which were closed between 2021 and 2024. The procedures relate to issues such as the polluter pays principle and inadequate pre-landfill waste treatment.
The report concludes that progress in hazardous waste management remains limited and does not guarantee effective containment of environmental and health risks. The document highlights the absence of a parliamentary-approved national environmental strategy, leaving sector policy without a long-term framework.
The National Waste Management Plan 2021-2028 does not sufficiently address industrial hazardous waste, the main source of such materials, the auditors say. They also point to weaknesses in coordination and monitoring by the Environment Ministry and the need to upgrade the National Waste Information System.
The report further finds that 42% of violations by mayors relate to illegal dumping sites and failure to clear them. Nearly 29% of municipalities with populations above 10,000 have not provided designated collection points for household hazardous waste. Eight regional capitals are affected, including Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Lovech, Silistra, Smolyan, Sliven, Stara Zagora and Yambol.
The audit also records a 41% increase in imports of hazardous waste for recovery in 2024 compared with 2021, including for metal recycling and oil re-refining.
BNAO has issued seven recommendations to the Environment and Water Minister, with a deadline for implementation set for March 1, 2027.
The report has been submitted to the European Commission and to International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). Five Bulgarian Regions Lacked Hazardous Waste Disposal Facilities in 2021-2024, Audit Finds 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-05-04 08:05:48 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law