Air Pollution Forces School Closures in Haifa and Krayot

Two schools in Kiryat Ata will not hold classes at their campuses on Monday due to abnormal air pollution levels measured near the Haifa oil refineries. The Ministry of Health, in consultation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Kiryat Ata municipality, ordered the relocation of classes for the Ha'Chvrati high school and Erezim school to alternative sites. This decision was made after unusually high concentrations of benzene were recorded in the area over recent days, attributed to maintenance work and repairs to damage sustained by the oil refinery complex during the war.

Late last week, extremely high benzene levels were registered at a monitoring station near the "DASHEN" industrial zone in Kiryat Ata. Subsequently, elevated readings were also detected at a monitoring station in Haifa, near the old licensing office. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Environmental Protection are advising residents within a kilometer of the refineries, especially children and pregnant women, to limit outdoor activity. Workers in the industrial zone are advised to close windows and use air conditioning.

According to the ministries, benzene concentrations at the Kiryat Ata monitoring station decreased during the morning hours but began to rise again in the afternoon. In response to the abnormal measurements, the Ministry of Environmental Protection ordered a halt to maintenance work at the refinery complex. The ministry has demanded that the plant investigate the incident and submit a detailed plan for future work and preventative measures as a condition for resuming operations.