Today, the air quality data for the village of Gara Elin Pelin show that there is no pollution. On an hourly basis, the Ministry of Environment and Water receives data from the mobile station located one kilometre away from the fire in the fireworks warehouse.

RIEW - Sofia started the measurements on the evening of 25 July with a mobile laboratory provided by the Executive Environmental Agency at the Ministry of Environment. Although in the first hours after the fire, elevated values of fine particulate matter (PM10) were recorded, there is now sufficient firm evidence that the indicators are permanently normalising and there is no air pollution or health hazard for the residents in the area.

As of noon today, the readings for PM10 indicate 11 mg/m3, with the reading gradually dropping from 28 mg/m3 (micrograms per cubic meter) since midnight. The overnight average for the past 24 hours on July 27 shows 27 mg/m3, which is below the regulatory standard of 50 mg/m3. In comparison, the measured daily average for July 26 was 39 mg/m3.

Data from the mobile laboratory confirms that no exceeding values of the hourly average standards for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone have been recorded over the past 24 hours and to date. There have also been no exceeding values of the eight-hour standard for carbon dioxide.

Presently, air quality indicators do not exceed the regulated standards and do not endanger human and animal life and health in the region.

The Environment Agency's mobile laboratory is located for continuous monitoring in the village of Gara Elin Pelin, approximately one kilometre from the warehouse - the nearest safe downwind location in the area where electric power is permitted and available. The station will continue to monitor the air quality in the area and an update will be provided in due course if the readings rise above the regulated standards.