Health Ministry Orders School Closures Near Haifa Refinery Due to Benzene Levels

The Ministry of Health, in coordination with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Kiryat Ata Municipality, has ordered the suspension of classes for the next 24 hours at the Ha'hevra Social High School and the Erezim School, both located near the Haifa oil refinery complex. Students will be relocated to alternative sites. The ministries are also advising the general public within a one-kilometer radius of the refinery, particularly children and pregnant women, to limit outdoor activities. Workers in the industrial zone are recommended to keep windows closed and air conditioners on.

These measures follow the detection of unusually high benzene concentrations near the Dshanim industrial zone in Kiryat Ata over the weekend of October 9-10, 2026. These readings were recorded at a mobile monitoring station (number 4) adjacent to the refinery complex, which is currently undergoing periodic maintenance and repairs from war damage. Other monitoring stations around the complex registered normal levels during the same period.

On October 11, elevated benzene levels were also measured at the Haifa Ministry of Licensing monitoring station and again at mobile station 4. In response to these findings and the proximity of the schools, the directive was issued after consultations. While readings at mobile station 4 showed a decrease in the morning, they began to rise again by the afternoon.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has halted the ongoing maintenance work at the refinery following an urgent discussion with plant representatives. The ministry has demanded an investigation into the incident and a detailed plan for future maintenance and measures to prevent recurrences before work can resume. The ministry also reiterated its commitment to the government's policy of phasing out petrochemical industries in the Haifa Bay area, aiming to improve air quality and public health through urban planning initiatives like Tama 75.