Classes Resume Near Haifa Refinery After Benzene Levels Drop
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
Classes will resume at two schools in Kiryat Ata near the Bazan refinery on Tuesday following a drop in benzene levels, the Ministry of Health announced. The directive to move classes to alternative sites was issued Monday due to elevated readings from refinery maintenance work. Parents expressed anger and concern over the health risks and lack of transparency, while Haifa officials called for stricter measures against the refinery, including its closure by 2029.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Classes will resume at two Kiryat Ata schools near the Bazan refinery on Tuesday after benzene levels dropped.
- The Ministry of Health cited environmental monitoring data showing benzene concentrations below the standard threshold.
- The directive to halt classes was issued Monday due to elevated benzene readings from refinery maintenance.
- Parents expressed anger and concern over health risks and lack of transparency regarding air quality.
- Haifa officials demanded action against Bazan, including its closure by 2029.
- The "Social High School" has about 130 students, and "Erezim" has about 45 students.
Classes at two schools in Kiryat Ata, located near the Bazan oil refinery, will resume on Tuesday after the Ministry of Health announced a significant drop in benzene levels. The ministry stated that recent environmental monitoring data shows benzene concentrations in the air have fallen below the standard threshold, leading to the cancellation of the directive that had moved classes to alternative sites. The directive to halt classes was issued on Monday following elevated benzene readings, attributed to maintenance work at the Bazan facilities, as a precautionary measure to protect students and staff.
The Ministry of Health, in coordination with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, will continue to monitor the data daily and provide updates as needed. The Kiryat Atah municipality confirmed the decision, emphasizing a joint agreement with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education to return to normal studies at the "Social High School" (formerly "Deshenim") and "Erezim" schools. Mayor Yakov Peretz stressed that student and staff health is paramount and urged decisive action to halt problematic factory operations and identify the source of the emissions.
Despite the resumption of classes, parents expressed significant concern. Meital Avitan, a mother of a student at Erezim, described the abrupt cancellation of classes the previous day, leaving parents scrambling for solutions and highlighting the difficulties for students with special needs attending remote learning. She criticized the school's location and the lack of transparency regarding air quality monitoring, stating, "We are living by luck. We have crossed a red line today and harmed our children's health. No more."
Residents in nearby neighborhoods also voiced anxieties. Alon, a resident of Kiryat Binyamin, expressed a constant fear of pollution reaching their homes, urging the relocation of polluting factories to the south as previously promised. Officials from Haifa also condemned Bazan's actions. Avihou Haan, Deputy Mayor of Haifa, demanded that Bazan take responsibility for the emissions and halt the damage to public health. Sarit Golan Steinberg, also a Haifa Deputy Mayor, called for an urgent hearing with Bazan's management and reiterated the demand for the refinery's closure by 2029, advocating for a government plan to end petrochemical activity in the area.
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