Illegal Dumping of Large Waste Volumes Discovered in Israel's Nachshon Forest

Just over two weeks after the Israeli Knesset approved a new waste management law, environmental offenders continue to illegally dump large amounts of waste in prohibited areas. Foresters from the Jewish National Fund (KKL) found approximately 40 cubic meters of waste dumped in Nachshon Forest in the Shfela region. The waste, transported by three trucks, included bags, sheets, metal parts, plastic, and other debris, scattered extensively among dry vegetation and pine trees.

KKL forester Yair Grodveski documented the waste piles, describing them as resembling a large worm covering a significant area within the forest. Although the recently passed law aims to regulate construction waste disposal through truck tracking, business registration, and stricter enforcement, it will only come into effect in about a year and a half. Meanwhile, illegal dumping continues to damage forests and open spaces, posing risks such as soil contamination, harm to wildlife, and increased fire hazards during summer.

KKL Chairman Eyal Ostrinsky condemned the environmental crime as blatant and uncontrolled, emphasizing that forests are being treated as private dumps, harming nature and the public. He called for immediate investigations, firm enforcement, and severe deterrent penalties rather than waiting for the law's full implementation.