Israel Approves Partial Restart of Bazan Refinery Maintenance After Benzene Leaks
Translated & summarized from Calcalist by baba
Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection has partially approved the Bazan Group's Gadiv factory to resume maintenance work, allowing operations only in areas with less than 1% benzene. High-benzene facility work remains suspended pending further emission reduction measures. The decision follows multiple benzene leaks in October that led to school closures and necessitated stricter environmental controls. The ministry emphasized that the partial restart is conditional on strict adherence to new monitoring and safety protocols.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Bazan Group's Gadiv factory partially resumes maintenance work under strict environmental controls.
- Work is limited to facilities with less than 1% benzene content due to prior leaks.
- High-benzene facility maintenance remains halted pending further emission reduction measures.
- Previous benzene leaks in October led to school closures and stricter oversight.
- The Ministry of Environmental Protection demands enhanced monitoring and safety protocols.
Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection has granted a limited permit for the Gadiv factory, part of the Bazan Group, to resume maintenance work. The approval is restricted to facilities with less than 1% benzene content. Work in high-benzene facilities will remain halted until the factory implements additional measures to significantly reduce emissions.
The ministry's decision follows an order to stop the maintenance work after four instances of elevated benzene levels were detected at environmental monitoring stations in October. Benzene is a known carcinogen, and the leaks necessitated strict measures to protect public exposure.
The ministry rejected the factory's proposed plan for high-benzene facilities, demanding further steps to mitigate risks. The limited restart in lower-benzene areas is contingent on strict adherence to updated administrative orders, including enhanced monitoring and control requirements. The factory must employ all available means to prevent exceeding daily environmental benzene limits, such as continuous monitoring, round-the-clock patrols, phased work, and halting steam operations if necessary.
Analysis of monitoring data, wind patterns, and factory reports indicates a strong correlation between steam and purification operations and increased benzene levels, including a recent breach on October 22. This occurred despite previous ministry orders and updates aimed at reducing emissions.
The ministry stated that it has engaged in continuous professional dialogue with the factory's management since the work stoppage. While the ministry offered additional emission reduction suggestions, the factory failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for the recent leak or sufficient alternatives to prevent recurrence. The ministry updated its administrative orders with stricter monitoring and control demands, rejecting the factory's claims that its decisions were based on non-objective considerations. The ministry emphasized that its decisions are based on monitoring data and professional assessments to ensure public health and environmental protection.
Dorite Ziss, Director of the Haifa District at the Ministry of Environmental Protection, stated that the ministry's responsibility is to ensure maintenance work is conducted safely. She noted that the series of leaks required a reassessment of the work's execution, and current measures are insufficient. Ziss reiterated that the limited approval for low-benzene facilities is based on data and risk assessment, and high-benzene facilities require further measures before work can resume. She affirmed the ministry's ongoing dialogue with the factory and relevant government offices, balancing the importance of maintenance with stringent emission reduction requirements.
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