Israeli Environment Ministry Halts Work at Polluted Tel Aviv’s Sde Dov Site Amid PFAS Contamination

The Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection ordered Tel Aviv municipality last Tuesday to stop construction activities at the Sde Dov site due to widespread PFAS contamination, which has already spread extensively across the area. Earlier this year, the ministry had identified serious suspicions of PFAS pollution in the soil, with dangerous contaminant levels detected in nine plots. Despite this, the municipality continued excavation and soil relocation without proper testing or environmental oversight, dispersing tens of thousands of tons of potentially contaminated soil across the site and beyond.

PFAS compounds, used in industrial applications such as Teflon coatings and firefighting foams, are persistent environmental pollutants linked to serious health risks including cancer, immune system damage, and developmental harm. The contamination at Sde Dov is believed to stem from historical use of firefighting foams. The ministry only took decisive action after receiving reports in June that soil sampling was being obstructed by ongoing municipal works, which prevented proper contamination assessment.

Environmental advocates, including attorney Meirav Abadi from Adam Teva V’Din, criticized the ministry for delayed intervention and called for an immediate halt to all work in untested areas nationwide. The ministry’s inspectors found that soil was being moved and piled without separation or documentation, and contaminated soil was even spread in public-use areas, raising concerns about groundwater pollution and public health risks.

The ministry’s letter to Tel Aviv’s mayor Menachem Leyva stated that the municipality’s actions violated professional guidelines and possibly regulations. The ministry had previously attempted to relax contamination thresholds to reduce the amount of soil classified as polluted, but was blocked by the Water Authority and Ministry of Health. Beyond Sde Dov, PFAS contamination has been detected at multiple sites across Israel, including airports, military bases, fuel depots, and industrial areas, prompting ongoing investigations and monitoring.

Environmental groups demand comprehensive soil surveys and strict environmental supervision before any further development. They warn that continuing construction without full contamination mapping risks spreading pollution and endangering public health. Neither the Ministry of Environmental Protection nor Tel Aviv municipality has yet responded to requests for comment.