Smokestack
צילום: ויז'ואל/פוטוס
Nearly half of Israel's factories pollute air
Sampling by Environmental Protection Ministry show 46 percent of Israeli factories emit more air-pollutants than allowed, sanctions taken against 22. Over all improvement shown in most factories
Forty-six percent of Israeli factories emit more air-pollutants than allowed in the Environmental Protection Ministry's guidelines, according to a samplings taken by the Environmental Protection Ministry in 2006.
The sampling was made up of 334 surprise inspections made at 48 factories. But the results show some improvement over 2005, when 55 percent of the factories were found exceeding the norm.
The inspections included taking air samples from the smokestack of 22 factories and analyzing them in the ministry's laboratories.
Out of 12 factories sampled in northern Israel, eight were found as exceeding air-pollutants levels. Two factories were found lacking in the Tel Aviv area and seven more were found at fault in southern Israel.
Sanctions were taken against those found exceeding normal air-pollutants levels, including issuing some factories with subpoenas to appear before the environmental protection ministry's board. A few of the factories are under official investigation.
Environment Minister Gideon Ezra said Sunday that the ministry would not compromise the public's health, and that he was willing to go as far as shutting down any factory which would not comply with the environmental protection guidelines.
"The statistics published by the environmental protection ministry show, again, how lacking the ministry is at enforcing its guidelines," said a statement by Israel's Green Party.
"The fact that so many factories bluntly ignore the guidelines shows a tougher approach is needed in both enforcement and penalties," the statement said.
