site.btaLukoil Neftochim Burgas Faces Fine over Odours

Lukoil Neftochim Burgas faces enforcement action over unpleasant odours spreading beyond its refinery site, the Burgas Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water said on Friday.

The action follows an inspection prompted by more than 40 complaints from residents about smells of petroleum products and gas across the city, the inspectorate said on its website.

The inspectorate will issue the operator with an administrative offence notice under the Environmental Protection Act and impose a fine. It found that the operator had breached the condition on strong-smelling substances in its integrated permit.

The company also received complaints about unpleasant odours. Inspectors checked the plant's main site and reviewed data from its central control room and the operator's continuous monitoring system covering 11 installations on the site.

An analysis of data from monitoring stations across Burgas Municipality for September 9 and 10 showed no exceedances of the air quality limits for the main pollutants monitored: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, benzene, styrene, para- and ortho-xylene, toluene and hydrogen sulphide. During the period when complaints were received, the Dolno Ezerovo automatic monitoring station recorded benzene concentrations above usual background levels but below the limit for the annual average concentration.