site.btaVolunteers Collect over 4.5 Tons of Waste during Cleaning in Belasitsa Nature Park

About fifty volunteers took part in the clean-up in Belasitsa Nature Park from September 1 to 6. The result is more than 4.5 tons of waste collected, said the organizers of the initiative - environmental NGO "For the Earth". 

Two types of waste turned out to be a huge problem - plastic bottles and motor oil tubes, most likely discarded during logging, the association said. They intend to write an official letter to the responsible institutions about the problem.

Another challenge in the Bulgarian mountains is the abandoned and dilapidated buildings, which are the largest source of waste and the most difficult to clean up, the association added.

During the action in Belasitsa, the "Clean Mountains" campaign was presented, which aims to prevent pollution in the mountains through mutual work between the responsible institutions - the directorates of national and nature parks, hikers, tourist associations, the Bulgarian Tourist Union, local municipalities and organizations of mountain guides. 

Belasitsa Nature Park is the newest nature park in Bulgaria, declared by order of the Minister of Environment and Water in 2007. It is located in the most southwestern part of Bulgaria and covers the northern slopes of the Belasitsa Mountain. The territory of the park borders the Republic of North Macedonia to the west and Greece to the south, according to the website of the Association of Parks in Bulgaria.