High Benzene Levels Near Haifa Refineries Prompt School Closures, Public Warnings
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Unusually high benzene levels were detected near the Bazan oil refineries in Haifa, prompting health and environmental ministries to issue public warnings. Classes at two Kiryat Ata schools will be moved to temporary locations for 24 hours. The elevated readings are attributed to maintenance work following wartime damage, and authorities have ordered a halt to these activities pending an investigation and a plan to prevent future incidents.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- High benzene levels were detected near Haifa's Bazan oil refineries.
- Two schools in Kiryat Ata will temporarily relocate classes due to the pollution.
- Public health advisories recommend limiting outdoor activity within 1km of the refineries.
- The benzene spikes are linked to ongoing maintenance and repair work at the refinery.
- Authorities have ordered a halt to maintenance work pending an investigation.
Health and Environmental Protection Ministries issued public guidance Sunday following the detection of unusually high benzene concentrations near the Oil Refineries Ltd. (Bazan) complex in Haifa. As a result, classes at two schools in Kiryat Ata, HaTichon HaChevrati and Arzim, will be moved to alternative locations for the next 24 hours. This decision was made by the Ministry of Health in consultation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Kiryat Ata municipality, due to the schools' proximity to the Bazan complex and the measurement sites where the anomalies were found.
The ministries are also advising the general public within a one-kilometer radius of the refineries to avoid unnecessary outdoor activity, with special emphasis for children and pregnant women. Workers in the industrial zone have been advised to close windows and operate air conditioners. The elevated benzene levels are reportedly linked to ongoing periodic maintenance and damage repair work at the refinery complex, stemming from the recent war.
High benzene readings were also recorded at the "Haifa - Old Licensing Office" monitoring station and a mobile monitoring unit, Unit 4. While levels in Unit 4 showed a decreasing trend during morning hours, they began to rise again in the afternoon. In response, the Ministry of Environmental Protection held an urgent discussion with refinery representatives and ordered a halt to the maintenance work. The ministry also demanded an investigation into the incident and a detailed plan for resuming maintenance and preventing future exceedances as a condition for restarting the work.
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