The National Statistical Institute presents the results of the annual surveys in the field of environmental statistics for 2023.
In 2023, 99.4% of the population in the country were connected to public water supply. The water delivered to the households was 250.08 mill. m3, reporting a slight decrease compared to 2022 - by 0.4%. In 2023, 4.6% from the population in the country were on water supply regime (due to drought).
The generated municipal waste in 2023 was 3 165 thousand tons. Compared to 2022, there was an increase of 0.24%. The generated waste per capita for 2023 was 491 kg - 16 kg more than the amount per capita for 2022.
In 2023, 508 thousand tons of packages were placed on the market, and their decrease, compared to 2022, was 2.86%. Plastic packaging was 142 thousand tons and a decrease of 4.41%, compared to 2022, was recorded.
The availability of the tangible fixed assets with ecological use by accounting value at the end of the 2023 was 11 483 million BGN. Compared to 2022, there was an increase of 1.0% (11 092 million BGN).
The value of the revenues of the municipal administrations in 2023 was 2 472 million BGN. Compared to 2022, they increased by 5.18%. Part of these revenues were the taxes and fees for municipal waste, the value of which in 2023 was 782 million BGN and their level increased by 4.0% compared to 2022.
744 points of noise level measurement were surveyed in 2023, located in 36 settlements, and levels above the permissible norms were measured in 518 points. The cities with the largest number of established exceedances of the permissible norms in the higher frequencies, more dangerous for the human health, were: Sofia (stolitsa), Plovdiv, Burgas, Veliko Tarnovo, Kyustendil, Stara Zagora, Pleven and others.
In 2023, the area of protected natural scenery in Bulgaria amounted to 585 500 ha or 5.3% of the country’s territory and compared to 2022 an increase by 664 ha was registered. At the end of 2023, there were 1 047 protected natural areas in Bulgaria. The biggest relative share was the natural parks - 43.8% (11), followed by the national parks - 25.8% (3), and reserves - 13.2% (55), etc.
In 2023, the area of deposits for underground reserves increased by 42% and was 1 505 thousand decares in total. The proven reserves of brown coal were 9 437 thousand tons – they decreased by 2% compared to 2022. The probable reserves of lead-zinc ores registered a decrease of 1.67% compared to the previous year.
