Benzene Leak Forces School Closures in Kiryat Ata, Reignites Haifa Bay Industry Debate
Translated & summarized from Zman Yisrael by baba
Classes were canceled at two Kiryat Ata schools due to dangerously high benzene levels from the BAZAN oil refinery, marking the first such pollution-related school closure in Israel. The incident occurred during maintenance at BAZAN's "Gadiv" plant, with benzene concentrations reaching levels not seen in six years. Environmental groups criticize Israel's lenient air quality standards, while the event intensifies the political debate over relocating Haifa Bay's industrial zone before upcoming elections.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Two Kiryatאת schools closed due to extreme benzene pollution from the BAZAN refinery.
- Benzene levels reached their highest point in six years during maintenance work.
- Environmentalists criticize Israel's air quality standards as the world's most lenient.
- The incident fuels the debate over relocating Haifa Bay's industrial zone.
- BAZAN's stock dropped sharply following the benzene leak and subsequent halt in work.
Classes were suspended at two schools in Kiryat Ata on Monday due to exceptionally high concentrations of benzene, a carcinogen emitted from the nearby BAZAN oil refinery complex. This marks the first time in Israel that schooling has been halted due to air pollution. The incident, which also prompted a directive for workers within a one-kilometer radius to close office windows, is attributed to an operational and environmental failure at BAZAN.
The benzene leak occurred during maintenance work at BAZAN's "Gadiv" plant, which produces intermediate materials for various industries. Environmental groups claim BAZAN failed to submit detailed work plans to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, a charge BAZAN disputes, stating the ministry received full information. Monitoring stations recorded benzene levels significantly exceeding the daily standard, with a peak concentration of nearly 100 micrograms per cubic meter recorded on Saturday night, the highest in six years.
While BAZAN maintains that the recorded exceedances do not constitute a legal violation under the Clean Air Law, which permits up to seven annual exceedances per monitoring station, health and environmental advocates argue the standard is too lenient. They call for an immediate revision of Israeli benzene standards, which they describe as the most lenient globally, to prevent any such occurrences, especially near sensitive populations like schoolchildren.
The incident has intensified the political debate surrounding the future of the Haifa Bay industrial zone, particularly with elections approaching. Environmental activists are leveraging the event to pressure political factions to commit to relocating the petrochemical industry by 2029. Meanwhile, the government-established administration continues to advance the industry's relocation, though the original 2029 deadline is expected to be postponed. Minister of Energy Eli Cohen has suggested relocating BAZAN to the Negev, a move critics believe would cause significant delays.
Following the incident, BAZAN was ordered to halt all maintenance work and present a detailed plan to the Ministry of Environmental Protection before resuming. The benzene levels have since subsided, and students have returned to classes. The event also led to a sharp drop in BAZAN's stock value and provided ammunition for environmentalists and the Mayor of Haifa, Yona Yahav, who is demanding commitments for the industry's relocation.
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