Ashdod Refinery Faces Lawsuit Over Benzene Emissions and Health Impacts

A class-action lawsuit seeking over 2.5 million shekels in compensation has been filed against the Ashdod Oil Refinery, alleging significant air pollution that harms nearby residents and industrial zone workers. The suit, submitted to the Beersheba District Court, claims the refinery has caused and continues to cause distress to those exposed to its emissions over the past seven years. The affected group includes residents of adjacent communities, workers in the northern industrial zone, and even drivers on Routes 4 and 42.

The lawsuit accuses the refinery of negligence and demands an immediate cessation of all polluting activities. It was filed by three local residents, represented by attorneys from Golan Naftali and Yitzhak Miron offices. They assert that for years, the area's inhabitants have suffered from severe and unreasonable air pollution originating from the refinery, negatively impacting their health and exacerbating existing medical conditions.

The plaintiffs highlighted the refinery's proximity to large population centers, arguing this necessitates heightened caution and strict adherence to legal requirements and permit conditions. They contend the refinery's management has failed to exercise due diligence, allowing excessive emissions that endanger public health and degrade quality of life. The filing references numerous enforcement actions over the past decade, including a 7 million shekel fine for "numerous incidents of severe and unreasonable air pollution," administrative orders, and hearings, with claims that the refinery remained non-compliant even after administrative orders were issued.

Supporting their claims, the plaintiffs submitted an expert opinion from Dr. Sumia Fallah, a former environmental permit supervisor. Her opinion notes repeated violations of benzene environmental standards in 2022-2023, including annual and daily exceedances. Benzene, a known human carcinogen, is absorbed through the skin and respiratory system. The opinion states these findings indicate a continuous pattern of exposure to high benzene concentrations, posing significant environmental and health risks, particularly to the nearby population. The pollution was found to have dispersed at ground level, reaching nearby communities like Yavne, Ben Zakai, and others.

The Ashdod refinery, located in the northern industrial zone, ranked 20th out of 566 polluting industries in Israel in the Ministry of Environmental Protection's 2025 report. Despite a 7% decrease in production volume in 2025 compared to 2024, the report indicated worrying increases in emissions of pollutants like formaldehyde (up 32%), ammonia (up 24%), and nitrogen oxides (up 11%), along with a slight 1% rise in benzene emissions. The refinery, covering about 1,000 dunams, processes approximately four million tons of crude oil annually and produces 40% of Israel's fuel and cooking gas. In February, the Ministry of Environmental Protection considered fining the refinery 32 million shekels for alleged violations of its emission permit. The refinery previously topped the ministry's environmental impact index with a record negative score.

In a separate incident in February, two female engineers were killed at the refinery after being connected to nitrogen tanks instead of air tanks. The police transferred the case to the prosecution in August. The refinery was acquired by Paz Oil Company in 2006 and later included Shapir as a shareholder. Paz recently sold its remaining stake. Currently, 44.95% of its shares are publicly held, with the remainder distributed among stakeholders, institutional investors, and hedge funds. The refinery's long-serving CEO, Amit Carmel, departed at the end of 2024, followed by a one-year tenure for Ronen Yechiel, with Yogeve Gavri appointed as CEO last summer. In response, Ashdod Oil Refinery stated it is committed to environmental protection, operates under strict standards, invests significant resources, and is reviewing the lawsuit to submit its response.