Since the beginning of this year, the Metropolitan Municipality, together with the Sofia University scientific center, has introduced remote monitoring of atmospheric air quality.

"We bet on the partnership with the scientific community.

We have identified 9 zones as a start and for more than a month we have been working everywhere, we already have the first data.

We are aiming for two important things - on the one hand informing the citizens and on the other hand using the data to take additional measures", said Yordanka Fandakova, Mayor of Sofia.

How does polluted air damage our skin and what can we do to keep it healthy?

Drones equipped with sensors for fine dust particles and remote monitoring will be used for these purposes.

"The goal is to reveal pollutant trends within the urbanized space of Sofia.

It is for this reason that we also use drone technology, because there is a very clear correlation between the pollution at our level, where we breathe it, and what is above the buildings," said Assoc. Ph.D. Stelian Dimitrov, director of NUTSGIT at Sofia University.

As a result of the monitoring, information will be provided that will serve to take measures by the Metropolitan Municipality.

"In about 10 minutes, we managed to collect 637 samples.

All of them are located and can be identified, including in case there was any source of contamination, we could very easily find it," said Stelian Dimitrov.

"Since the beginning of the year, 21 acts for unregulated burning of waste have already been drawn up by the Metropolitan Inspectorate," said Teodora Polimerova, director of the Climate, Energy and Air Directorate.

Aerial monitoring also aims to accumulate data for subsequent analysis.

"What we find is that on certain days when the weather is colder, wood and coal heating increases.

That is why our greatest efforts are directed at the free replacement of wood and coal stoves," Fandakova explained.

The Metropolitan Municipality calls for more citizens to join these programs.