Haifa Bay Pollution Prompts School Closures and Public Health Warnings

Severe air pollution in Haifa Bay has led to unusual directives from the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Following measurements of exceptionally high benzene concentrations, the Ministry of Health instructed the Kiryat Ata municipality on Sunday to cancel classes for the next 24 hours at the "Social High School" and "Erezim" school, located in the Dushanim industrial zone near the Bazan complex. These classes are to be moved to alternative locations.

In addition to the school closures, the ministries issued a series of recommendations for residents and workers within a one-kilometer radius of the oil refineries. They are advised to avoid unnecessary time outdoors, with special warnings for children and pregnant women. Workers in the industrial zone were told to remain in closed buildings and use air conditioning.

The source of the pollution, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, is periodic maintenance work and repairs from war damage being conducted at the Bazan complex over the past few days. Over the weekend, extremely high levels of benzene, a known carcinogen, were recorded by an environmental monitoring vehicle in Kiryat Ata. Although other monitoring stations in the bay showed normal levels, the pollution spread on Sunday to a station near the old licensing office in Haifa.

A slight downward trend in the morning reversed in the afternoon, prompting the issuance of the health and environmental directives. In response, the Ministry of Environmental Protection summoned representatives from the plant for an urgent clarification meeting and ordered an immediate halt to the maintenance work. The resumption of work is contingent on the submission of a detailed plan and measures to prevent further pollution exceedances.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection also reiterated its ongoing efforts to implement a government decision (TAMA 75) to cease petrochemical industry activity in Haifa Bay and develop the area, aiming to improve air quality and public health. The ministries are scheduled to hold a reassessment meeting on Monday based on monitoring data and will update public guidelines accordingly.