Bulgarian air most polluted in Europe: ministryThe air in Bulgaria is the most polluted in the whole of the European Union European Union (EU), name given since the ratification (Nov., 1993) of the Treaty of European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, to the European Community , the ministry of environment and water found in a new report published Friday. With dust levels persistently around 55 microgrammes per cubic metre Noun 1. cubic metre - a metric unit of volume or capacity equal to 1000 liters cubic meter, kiloliter, kilolitre metric capacity unit - a capacity unit defined in metric terms -- compared with an average of 30 mg in the rest of Europe and the maximum norm of 40 mg -- Bulgarian air ranks as the most polluted in the EU, the report said. It blamed the high level of pollution on the large number of old vehicles in Bulgaria without catalytic converters and the lack of restrictions imposed on second-hand cars imported from western Europe Western Europe The countries of western Europe, especially those that are allied with the United States and Canada in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (established 1949 and usually known as NATO). . In addition, central heating central heating Noun a system for heating a building by means of radiators or air vents connected to a central source of heat centrally heated adj Noun 1. and gas heating is used primarily in big cities, while smaller towns and villages still rely on coal-fired heating. The western town of Pernik, home to a number of metallurgy plants, is Bulgaria's most polluted town, according to the report, with an average dust concentration of 92 microgrammes per cubic metre. In Plovdiv, the country's second-largest city, air dust levels stood at 70.9 mg. In the capital Sofia, home to one of every four Bulgarians, dust levels ranged from 55-62 mg. According to a new environment protection strategy, Bulgaria hopes to bring down dust, particle and carbon dioxide carbon dioxide, chemical compound, CO2, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is about one and one-half times as dense as air under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure. levels in the air by imposing EU standards on vehicles and industry. 
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