Hazardous emissions detected at Haifa Bay
Bay's industrial zone plagued by two fires in one week, emitting thick smoke, acidic odors. Environmental Protection Ministry investigating
A roaring fire broke out at the Haifa Bay Tuesday, for the second time in two days. The fire, which originated from a mock-torch placed on top of the Carmel Olefins facility, caused a thick smoke and harsh odors to envelop the entire area.
The Environmental Protection Ministry summoned the company's management to a disciplinary hearing.
"Around 9 pm we started smelling an acidic odor in the area," Dr. Shani Kaiser, who heads the Public Health Coalition and is a resident of the northern Israeli town of Tivon, told Ynet.
The flame towering over the plant, she added, was visible for hours: "I don't know what caused the fire but it must have been a serious malfunction; and in any case, it doesn't really matter any more. We'll keep fighting for a cleaner bay."
The Environmental Protection Ministry has given Carmel Olefins a 10-minute daily window in which it can light its torch. Tuesday and Sunday's flare-ups saw the torch burn for a little over 30 minutes, causing an increase in air pollution and unreasonable hazard to public health.
Ongoing concern
The implications of both fires are under investigation, said Robert Reuven, head of the Environmental Protection Ministry's Haifa bureau: "Since the incidents happened over night we were unable to detect any emission of black smoke. We are currently running tests to determine the exact nature of the emissions."
A breach of the Prevention of Environmental Nuisance Act, he added, carries a $58,000 fine, or up to six months in jail.
Zvi Fuhrer, general-director of Haifa District Municipal Association for the Environment (HDAE) reiterated, saying that the factory did alert the HDAE that it would be operating the torch and that the HDAE does films the area, but the darkness prevented them from seeing the nature of the smoke.
Carmel Olefins was unavailable for comment.
The close proximity of the Haifa Bay's industrial area to Israel's Krayot area and Haifa vicinity communities has been a source of concern for local residents and environmental groups alike; especially when attempt by the Environmental Protection Ministry to enforce the various environment protection laws on the bay's factories have been stonewalled.
Ynet has learned that MK Dov Khenin (Hadash), who heads the Knesset's environmental lobby, is currently devising a new bill, demanding the bay be cleared of all industrial facilities and rehabilitated.
The bill, which is still being drafted, call for the government to come up with a plan to rehabilitate the area in one year. The plan calls for the Treasury, Infrastructure and Environmental Protection Ministry to pull together in creating a timetable for the relocation of those facilities; and the creation of several tourist attractions instead, which will provide the local communities with alternative job opportunities.
