The situation with the floating fuel oil balls along the Bulgarian coast remains under increased monitoring by state institutions.
Over the past two weeks, dozens of signals have been registered from Tyulenovo to Ahtopol, with the beaches of the camping “Gradina“, “Arkutino“, “Coral“ and Ahtopol among the most affected. Despite the visual pollution on the sandbars, the Regional Health Inspectorate (RHI) – Burgas categorically announced that the quality of the sea water has not been compromised and samples from the monitoring points do not report an active spill.
According to the official analyses of the Ministry of Transport and the Burgas Regional Governor Diko Dikov, the discharged fractions are old waste oil products, solidified on the bottom and brought to the surface by recent sea currents. Authorities categorically reject the possibility of a new spill from a floating vessel or an incident with a tanker in Bulgarian waters. However, independent environmental organizations such as “Greenpeace“ are analyzing satellite data for a potential connection to larger oil slicks in the Black Sea.
Concessionaires and municipalities are carrying out daily clean-ups of the affected beaches. Doctors and health authorities are strongly advising tourists not to use industrial paint thinners to clean fuel oil from their skin, as this causes severe chemical burns and damage. It is recommended to remove stains with soap and greasy alternatives (oil or cosmetics).
Sources: BNT, NOVA, bTV