Security05:33 · Aug 23

Israel Nature Protection Group Appeals Approval for Rotem Amfert’s Use of Hazardous Phosphogypsum Ponds

YnetCenter

Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba

Key points

01SPNI appeals approval for Rotem Amfert’s continued use of old phosphogypsum ponds.
022017 pond collapse caused hazardous spill into Nahal Ashelim, leading to a 100 million shekel settlement.
03SPNI and others demanded a new, safer pond; their objections were rejected by the regional committee.
04Judge criticized Rotem Amfert for ignoring deadlines and prioritizing economic interests over environment.
05SPNI highlights decades of warnings and regulatory failures with no criminal charges filed yet.
06Rotem Amfert cites economic impact and regulatory approvals supporting continued pond use.

In this story

People

Gad Gideon, Asaf Rozenblum, Asaf Ben Levi

OrganizationsSociety for the Protection of Nature in Israel, Rotem Amfert, ICL Rotem, Southern District Planning and Building Committee, National Planning and Building Council, Water Authority, Tamar Regional Council, Adam Teva V’Din

PlacesNahal Ashelim, Beersheba, Negev

The story · English

The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (SPNI) has filed an appeal against the Southern District Planning and Building Committee’s decision to allow Rotem Amfert (ICL Rotem) to continue using its old phosphogypsum ponds. The appeal was submitted to the Subcommittee for Appeals of the National Planning and Building Council following a Beersheba District Court ruling emphasizing the importance of protecting environmental interests.

One of these ponds collapsed in 2017, causing a significant spill of acid and hazardous materials into Nahal Ashelim, an event known as the Ashelim Stream disaster. The state sued Rotem Amfert, which agreed to pay 100 million shekels in compensation as part of a settlement. Despite opposition from SPNI, the Water Authority, and other bodies demanding the construction of a new, safer pond, the regional committee rejected these objections.

The appeal, drafted by SPNI lawyers Asaf Rozenblum and Asaf Ben Levi, calls for halting the use of the old ponds and advancing the establishment of a new facility. The organization highlights a long history of warnings about leaks from these unpermitted ponds dating back to 1989, and criticizes Rotem Amfert for repeatedly violating legal and planning requirements, ignoring deadlines, and causing unprecedented environmental damage. The appeal also notes that eight years after the disaster, no criminal charges have been filed and the company continues to use the hazardous ponds.

District Court Judge Gad Gideon criticized Rotem Amfert’s conduct, accusing the company of forcing planning authorities into a fait accompli and prioritizing economic interests over environmental protection. The appeal stresses systemic failures in enforcement, with regulators failing to act despite clear violations and missed deadlines.

Rotem Amfert responded that the court acknowledged the severe economic impact of shutting down the ponds, including threats to thousands of jobs and fertilizer exports, which are of national strategic importance. The company stated that the approved plan balanced economic, security, and environmental considerations and was endorsed by multiple regulatory bodies and the Tamar Regional Council. Rotem Amfert also noted that the plan was approved without opposition from "Adam Teva V’Din" after adjustments to meet strict professional requirements, and that the court upheld the plan’s validity.

Read the original at Ynet