site.bta Surveys Show Increasing Environmental Awareness In Bulgaria

Surveys Show Increasing Environmental Awareness In Bulgaria

Sofia, December 19 (BTA) - An increasing number of people are showing environmental awareness in respect to the use of plastic bags, two surveys of the Exacta agency show. The surveys were made at the beginning and the end of 2016 and were commissioned by the Ministry of Environment and Water, the ministry said Monday.

In March 36.4 per cent of the respondents said they abstain from using plastic bags. In end-November their number rose to 44.9 per cent.

The number of people applying separate waste collection has risen by 4.0 per cent to 43 per cent, which means that the attitude to waste is changing and more people are regarding them as a resource.

The number of people who care about the purity of ambient air is also increasing. In March 25.3 per cent of the respondents said they used dry wood for heating instead of wet. In November their number rose to 28.9 per cent. Albeit slowly, the number of Bulgarians who use urban transport instead of their own cars is also increasing (by 1.8 per cent).

The respondents (60.6 per cent) are aware that people are the main reason for the polluted territories in the country due to a lack of environmental traditions and culture. People, however, are increasingly aware that Operation Programme Environment has largely contributed to the protection of nature and the environment. This means construction of waste water treatment plants and replacement sewerage, as well as construction of landfills.