israel environment bulletin 2006 vol 30

8/14/2019 Israel Environment Bulletin 2006 Vol 30

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volume 3

Ministry of the Environment

State of IsraelMinistry of the Environment

ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN April

2006

Cover Photo:Dror Nush

Electricityand AirQuality 12

www.environment.gov.il

Dead Sea

2


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Dear Reader:

The April 006 Israel Environm

Bulletin presents some o the m

environmental issues o 005rst section provides a birds

view o key achievements, w

subsequent pages present a

depth look at some major is

- air quality trends, pollu

abatement in the electricity generation sector,

management in the industrial sector, the uture o

Dead Sea, exposure to non-ionizing radiation, "Gr

Schools" and green army bases.

Many o the achievements outlined in this bulletin

attributed to the eorts o ormer Environment Min

Shalom Simhon, who stepped down in November due to political developments in Israel and the dec

to hold early general elections. During his service

Environment Minister, Simhon succeeded in substant

increasing the ministrys budget which acilitated

promotion o a wide range o environmental acti

These include: open space preservation; natio

cleanliness campaign; reduction o public exposur

radiation rom cellular base stations; and allocatio

additional unds to the Nature and Parks Authority

animal welare projects, to environmental educa

and to a host o other environmental projects on

local level.

Hopeully, in the words o Mr. Shalom Simhon during

arewell message, the Ministry o the Environment

continue to play a major role in "shaping the image o

State o Israel in subjects which are vital or its uture

In January 006, the government appointed Ministe

Internal Security Gideon Ezra to serve as Minister o

Environment until a new government is ormed.

To stay updated about environmental developmen

Israel, please visit our English website

www.environment.gov.il/english.

Shoshana Gabb

Editor

2005 at a GlanceEnvironmental achievements in 2005.

Cover photo: Dror Nush, rst prize, "IDF and Environment."Back cover photo: Meytal Nissim, third prize, "IDF and the Environment."Photos: Ministry o the Environment, Israel Airports Authority, Israel DeenseForces, Friends o the Earth Middle East, Alon Karmiel School, Haia

Chemicals, Ronen Alkalay, Gidi Bettelheim, Galia Ben-Shoham, Michal

Ben-Shushan, Lior Elovitch, Alex Kaplan, Ilan Malester, Eli Raz, Chagai

Shyowitz, Roi Simcha, Alex Weinreb, Keren Mizrachi, Dalit Ehrlich, Medvey

Feldman, Judy Elispor

34

8

7

6

18

16

18

3

Production: Publications and Inormation Unit

Ministry o the Environment

Environmental LegislationA new law on non-ionizing radiation, amendments to existinglaws and new regulations set out to improve the quality o the

environment in Israel on all ronts.

"Clean Coast" Project: Facts and Figures

Measuring the results o the "Clean Coast" project.

Regulating the Electricity SectorDrat regulations aim to prevent and abate airpollution rom power plants.

Air Quality in Israel: 2005A look at air quality trends shows some improvementsand highlights ocal points or action.

Risk Management Conronting the ChallengeTwenty industrial plants are testing the applicabilityo a manual on preventing accidental releases ohazardous substances.

Conronting the Dead Sea DilemmaA policy document conronts uncertainties in theuture o the Dead Sea in a scenario o continuedwater decline.

Environmental Units: Serving the Local PopulationWith ten new units, municipal environmental units nowcover 90% o Israels land area.

Soundproofng Schools or a Sound EducationAcoustic treatment o schools and kindergartens in thevicinity o Ben-Gurion Airport.

Base Station Antennas and the Precautionary PrincipleGovernment approves recommendations o a

committee on the siting and licensing o cellularantennas.

30

3Greening the Israel Deense ForcesPresentation o environmental awards to army units, soldiersand commanders or environmental projects.

Green all Over: From Kindergarten to UniversityThe "Green School" project expands to community centers,kindergartens and college campuses.


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3

Treating municipal, industrial and agriculturalwaste

Two sites or crushing and recycling constructionand demolition waste began to operate.

Some 337 million bottles and cans (under 1.5

liters) were collected under the Deposit Law

or Beverage Containers - 10% more than in

004. Schoolchildren collected more than one million

cans and bottles or recycling under the Deposit

Law.

A used tire recycling bill passed its rst reading

in the Knesset.

The Environment Ministry allocated one million

shekels to industrial plants or minimizinghazardous waste and toxicity at source.

Since initiation in 1999, 33 projects have been

implemented.

Out o some 340,000 tons o hazardous waste

produced in 004, nearly 103,000 tons were

disposed to the Ramat Hovav national treatment

site about 30%. A similar quantity reached

Ramat Hovav in 005.

The environmental problem solving approach

was used to advance projects on used oil

collection rom garages and waste tire collection

and treatment. A reorm package in the dairy sector led to

environmental improvements in 97% o Israel's

dairy arms.

The number o volunteer cleanliness trustees

reached 157,497, with 3110 new trustees

appointed in 005. They issued 61.4% o the

total number o cleanliness reports under the

Maintenance o Cleanliness Law.

005 AT A GLANCE

W

What happened in 005? The latest data on

the environment in Israel!

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

million Bottle Collection under the Deposit Law (millions of bottles)

184

1.4

328

295

337

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003

tons

treatment outside Ramat Hovav export disposal to Ramat Hovav

Distribution of Hazardous Waste in Israel

Hazardous Waste Treatment (2004)

disposal

69%

recovery

23%

use as fuel4%

export4%

Number of Cleanliness Reports

by Enforcement Bodies

9,0661,984

2,480

1,235

CleanlinessTrusteesIsrael Police

Green

Police

Inspectors


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ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol. 30

4

Intensive Wastewater Treatment Plants (For Flows Exceeding 0.5 MCM/year)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

number of treatment plants

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

MCM/year

Number of Wastewater Treatment Plants Million cubic meters/year

2003

9056

2683 2284

Total Nitrogen

Annual Pollution Load in Major Israeli Streams

22904

6531

11559

6607

10318

477552124295

1072

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

T. Organic Carbon Total Phosphorus

tons/year

1994 2000 2001

Cormorants at Achziv. Photo: Gidi Bettelheim

Preventing water pollution and restoring rive

A government decision called or the remo

o Eilat's sh cages rom the Red Sea wit

three years. A multi-annual project to keep Israels coast

clean "Going or a Clean Coast" - w

launched.

Assessments o pollution in Israels major riv

revealed a 50%-80% reduction in pollution lo

between the years 1994 and 003.

Israel ratied the amendment to

Barcelona Convention or the Protection

the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution.

Water quality continued to improve in

Kishon River as major industrial plants comp

with stringent discharge permits. Discharge o wastewater rom Naha

into the sea stopped, eliminating one o

two remaining sources o municipal sewa

discharge into the Mediterranean Sea.

The government adopted the recommen

tions o the Inbar Committee on upgrad

efuent quality standards or unrestric

irrigation and discharge to rivers.

The Ashkelon Desalination Plant, the larges

its kind in the world, began initial product

in August 005. It is expected to produce

annual 100 million cubic meters o water.

Clean Coast Index 2005 - Acre

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

28/5/05 17/7/05 5/9/05 25/10/05 14/12/05date

index

Dirty

ExtremelyDirty

Moderate

Clean

Very Clean

Jordan River. Photo: Friends of the Earth Middle East


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5

NOx Annual Averages and Exceedances of the Half-Hour Standard

in the Klal Jerusalem Transportation Station

261

928

227

834

179

284

151190

13693107 79

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

Annual Averages No. of Exceedances of the Half-Hour Standard

Annual Average (ppb) and no. of exceedances

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Reduction in Sulfur Content in Diesel

2000

500

350

50 100

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1994 1999 Sept. 2000 Jan. 2004 April 2006

ppm

Pollutant Emissions from the Eshkol Power Plant in Ashdod

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

18,824

12,696

1,161

2001

16,167

9,286

748

2002

15,077

5,039

674

2003

5,074

4,277

340

2004

tons/year

Sulfur Dioxide Emissions (tons) Nitrogen Oxides Emissions (tons) Particulate Emissions (tons)

Courtesy: Israel Electric Corporation

Disposal of Asbestos Waste (tons/year)

919

3,289

21,706

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

2002 2003 2004

tons

Treating lie-threatening hotspots

Industrial plants in the Ramat Hovav industrial park began to establish in-house efuent

pretreatment acilities in accordance with a government decision.

Agreements were reached to remediate two acidic tar ponds in the Ramat Hovav

hazardous waste site as a rst step in the Ramat Hovav Hazardous Waste Treatment

Site Remediation Project.

Reducing air pollution rom transportationand industrial sources

A statistical analysis conrmed reductions in

sulur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon

dioxide in the years 1999-004.

According to preliminary data, air quality

in several Israel cities improved in 005

compared to 004. Mayors o local authorities in the Tel Aviv

metropolitan area signed a covenant or

reducing air pollution.

The Public Utility Authority (PUA) Electricity

began paying premiums to ten private

electricity producers using renewable

energy technologies based on the

estimated costs o pollution prevention

per ton o emissions.

Updated personal decrees or air pollution

reduction, based on TA-Lut 00, were

prepared or major industrial plants in HaiaBay. An air quality management system, based

on emission data rom all pollution sources

in the country, neared completion.

The Ashdod power plant operated on

natural gas, bringing about signicant

reductions in pollution emissions.

The highest court ne or air pollution in

Haia Bay 1.6 million shekels was imposed

on the Oil Reneries Company, in January

006.

Photo: Chagai Shyowitz

The government decided to transer 10 million

shekels to the Environmental Services Company

or constructing a stabilization/solidicationacility or inorganic waste treatment in Ramat

Hovav.

The Environment Ministry approved nancial

grants in the sum o 5 million shekels or cleaning

up, treating and disposing o asbestos waste

rom contaminated sites in the Western

Galilee.


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6

What to Clean First? First Priority to Beaches

12%

5%

7%

8%

10%

22%

14%

22%

6%

10%

10%

10%

11%

20%

17%

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45%

All to a Similar Degree

Open Spaces

Nature Reserves & Forests

Roadsides

Neighborhood/Street

Community

Urban Parks

Beaches

P rior ity 1 P rior ity 2

Surfers on Environment Ministry Websites

0

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

3500000

2002 2003 2004 2005

no. of surfers

Hebrew & English Site Children's Site Licenses & Permits Site Arabic Site Interactive Map Site Air Quality Site

307,064540,226

1,266,214

3,048,469

Improving environmental services, inormation and education

An amendment to the Freedom o Inormation Law relating to environmental inormation was approved to make such inorm

more accessible to the public through its publication on websites.

The cabinet approved the recommendations o a directors-general committee on a our-track system or licensing c

antennas in order to increase transparency and reduce exposure to non-ionic radiation.

Environmental support was granted to more than 0 animal welare organizations.

"Green School" certication was granted to sixteen new schools, in addition to seven schools certied in 004.

Preserving open spaces

The government decided to establish the Ayalon Metropolitan Pin an area spanning 800 hectares around the shut-down Hiriya lan

and to set up a government company to manage all aspect

the park.

Eight new Israeli sites were declared World Heritage Sites in tinscriptions: The biblical tels (prehistoric settlement mounds)

Megiddo, Hazor and Beersheba and the Incense Route and Neg

Nabatean cities o Haluza, Mamshit, Avdat and Shivta.

The government unanimously approved the National Ma

Plan or Planning, Building and Conservation (National Plan 3

which determines areas earmarked or construction and or op

space.

The Ministry o the Environment launched a comprehensive inorma

campaign to promote cleanliness in public areas, rom beache

parks, nature reserves and orests.

Thresholds or urban open space were prepared or urban renew

plans.

Catalyzing economic growth and nationalinterests through sustainable development

Government ministries and aliated agencies

drated strategic plans or sustainable

development in line with a government

decision. An action plan on energy conservation in all

sectors was drated within the ramework o

Israels sustainable development strategy.

The process o Local Agenda 1 continued, with

some 40 local authorities taking part. A conerence on "The Financial Sector and the

Environment," targeted at increasing awareness

o environmental liability and risk management,

was convened.

The Securities Authority mandated air disclosure

on environmental matters by publicly traded

companies, including inormation on anticipated

environmental costs and investments.

The Ministry o the Environment implemented

a procedure on the transer o environmental

inormation on publicly traded companies in

order to improve environmental disclosure and

transparency.

The Chie Scientist o the Environment Ministry

issued a call or proposals or research studies

on the impacts o climate change in Israel and

means o adaptation. Nine research projects

were approved.

Criteria were developed or certiying "Green Kindergartens," "

Community Centers" and "Green Campuses."

New eatures were added to the Interactive Map o the EnviroMinistry's Hebrew website including: inormation on heritag

national sites, 750 archaeological sites, 1000 sites o the Jewish N

Fund, 500 touring sites and a Green Map o Jerusalem.

The Environment Ministry's Hebrew and English website drew ,1

surers in 005 a 80% increase in comparison to 004. Over 3

surers accessed all o the ministrys websites in 005


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7

TA-LUFT Workshop: A German delegation presented the main emission controlrequirements o TA Lut 00 during a three-day workshop, organized by theManuacturers Association o Israel, the Israel Union or Environmental Deense

(an NGO) and the Ministry o the Environment.

Joint Workshop on Hazardous Waste: Delegates rom the German FederalMinistry or the Environment met with representatives o the Ministry or the

Environment to discuss hazardous waste management, administration, recycling,

treatment and disposal within the ramework o Israels preparations to drat

new hazardous waste regulations.

Workshop on Environmental Policy Integration and SMAP III:Representatives o European organizations and countries met with

Israeli experts on mechanisms through which sustainable development

goals can be promoted and integrated in dierent policy areas.

International Workshop on Promotion o Methyl Bromide Alternatives toComply with its Phase Out: Proessionals and decision makers rom developingcountries attended the workshop and shared Israels experience in nding

alternatives to methyl bromide. The workshop was organized by: the Center or

International Cooperation o the Ministry o Foreign Aairs (MASHAV), the Center

or International Agricultural Development Cooperation and the Agricultural

Research Organization.

LIFE- Third Countries Projects in Israel: Two projects sustainable developmento the Jordan River (by the Upper Galilee Regional Council) and creation o

sustainable communities according to Local Agenda 1 principles (by the

Heschel Center or Environmental Learning and Leadership) were approved

or unding by the European Commission. To date, the EU has co-nanced

ten LIFE projects in Israel, contributing 3 million to the protection o the

environment.

Climate Change Impact Research Coordination or a Larger Europe: Israelis one o 17 European countries included in the CIRCLE project, which seeks

to contribute to research on means o adapting to the impacts o climate

change.

BATs/BEPs Mediterranean Action Plan Project: Israel is one o ve countriesselected to participate in a MAP Regional Activity Center or Cleaner Production

project to prepare methodological guidelines or implementing a pollution

control system based on Best Available Techniques (BATs) and Best Environmental

Practices (BEPs) in non-European Mediterranean countries.

Improving the urban environment

The Standards Institution o Israel

published standards on the energy rating

o apartments in residential buildings and

on buildings with reduced environmental

impact ("green buildings").

Ten new environmental units were

established in local authorities, bringing

the total to 47 units, covering 90% o

Israel's land area.

The Knesset enacted the Non-Ionizing

Radiation Law to protect the public

and the environment rom the adverse

impacts o exposure to non-ionizing

radiation rom cellular and radio

antennas and electricity installations.

An amendment to the Licensing oBusinesses Law was approved, requiring

the installation o noise meters indiscotheques to protect public health.

An amendment to the Municipalities

Ordinance was approved, obligating

the appointment o an environmental

committee in each local authority.

The Environment Ministry granted

millions o shekels to local authorities or

environmental projects.

Israel in an International Context:Conerences, Workshops and Projects

in Israel

Cellular masts. Photos: Alex Kaplan and

Alex Weinreb


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Reducing airpollution romtransportationand industrial

sources

Treatingmunicipal,

industrial andagricultural

waste

Catalyzingeconomic

growth andnationalinterests

Improving theenvironment

and presevingopen spaces

8

Developingtools or

improvingservice and

proessionalism

Clean Coast Project:Facts And Figures

Acre coast. Photo: Ilan Maleste

Preventingmarine and

water pollutionand restoring

rivers

Aim o the Project: Cleaning up Israels open,undeclared beaches with no lieguards and

no swimming and keeping them clean.

Length o Undeclared Coastline: About 15kilometers along the Mediterranean and Red

Sea coasts.

Cost: Three million shekels a year or a three-year

period, with joint nancing by the Ministry o theEnvironment (70%) and local authorities (30%).

Method: The environmental problem solvingapproach to identiy the problem, analyze it and

nd ways to "x" it.

Components: Cleanups by local authorities,inormation and publicity, enorcement and

education.

MMeasuring the results o the "Clean Coast" projectParticipants: Ministry o the Environment, locauthorities, Nature and Parks Authority a

the public. A special cadre o trained "Coa

Watch" volunteers takes part in enorceme

and inormation activities.

Cleanliness Indicators: Clean Coast Indebased on the number o plastic pieces let

the beach.

Results: Hal o the beaches showeimprovements six months ater the initiation

the project, in comparison to the baseline ind

o June 005.

Publicity: Updated inormation on each beais available in Hebrew on the website o t

Ministry o the Environment.

Preventing marine and water pollution

and restoring rivers

Clean Coast Index 2005

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1/6/05 29/6/05 27/7/05 24/8/05 21/9/05 19/10/05 16/11/05 1

clean coast index

Dir

Mode

Cle

Very C0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Clean Coast Index 2005 - Naharia & Kiryat Yam

NahariaKiryat Yam

Very Clean

Clean

Moderate

Dirty

1/6/05

23/6/05

4/7/05

18/7/05

26/7/05

1/8/05

11/7/05

11/10/05

15/8/05

14/9/05

30/8/05

30/9/05

30/10/05

28/11/05

13/11/05

26/12/05

12/12/05


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9

Clean Coast Index

The Ministry o the Environment publishes

up-to-date inormation on the cleanliness

level o undeclared beaches along the

Mediterranean and Red Sea coastlines. An

interactive map in Hebrew on the ministrys

website presents bimonthly inormation on

every undeclared beach using dierent

colored fags:

White fag - very clean

Blue fag - clean

Orange fag - moderate cleanliness

Red fag - dirty

Black fag - extremely dirty

By clicking on a fag, the surer also accesses

an ID card about the beach, including

photos and inormation on coastal length,

general description, ecological assets,

access and more.

On The Clean Coast ProjectRani Amir

Director, Marine andCoastal EnvironmentDivision

Why did the Ministry o theEnvironment decide tolaunch the Clean CoastProject?

We came up with the idea or the project a ew

years ago, in 00, when we realized that no one

was taking responsibility or the litter problem

along the Mediterranean coastline. Its as i we

were sucked into a vacuum where no one else

was doing anything. While coastal cleanups are

the responsibility o municipalities and the Ministry

o the Interior, we could not stand idly by andwatch while litter continued to accumulate on

our coastline.

We also knew that litter on the coast originates

rom two sides the marine side and the land

side. We recognized that we could not control

the litter that is deposited on the coast rom the

open sea it is simply not easible but we could

do something about the litter let behind by the

public and about the litter that is washed ashore.

We concluded that we had to initiate a project

which, among other things, would ensure that we

clean up our coastlines in the same way that weclean up our homes all the time!

The Ministry o the Environment initiatedcoastal cleanups beore. How is this campaigndierent?We were looking or a comprehensive solution to

the problem. Thereore, we decided to implement

the environmental problem solving approach

(EPS based on guidelines developed by Pro.

Malcolm Sparrow o Harvard University) to identiy

the problem, analyze it and tailor a measurable

solution to it. We began by identiying the result

Within sixmonths 54%

o Israels

undeclaredcoastlinemeasured"clean" to

"very clean"and 50% wascleaner thanin June 005

Photos: Ronen Alkalay and Ilan Malester

"Clean Coast" Project

Base Index: June 005

Gul o Eilat

Interactive Maphttp://gis.sviva.gov.ilData: Marine and CoastalEnvironment Division

Clean Coast Index

Very Clean

Clean

Moderate

Dirty

Extremely Dirty

No Data

Updated: January 3, 006

Gul o Eilat


10/36



sources

Treatingmunicipal,


waste

Catalyzingeconomic




10

Developingtools or


proessionalism



rivers

Preventing marine and water pollution

and restoring rivers

the project is largely implemented

the educational centers o the Na

and Parks Authority, which invest m

resources in educating the youn

generation about the importanc

coastal protection in all aspects.The third pillar is communication and inormaWe launched a public campaign whose m

may be loosely translated as "Going or a Cl

Coast" (literally Walking on a Clean Coast)

assimilate the message, we unded public ser

announcements on television and radio, p

or advertisements in the media, and hire

media consultant. We also made sure that th

was a major presence o Marine and Coa

Environment Division and Nature and P

Authority inspectors on the coasts during se

summer weekends in order to explain the gothe project to the public and to distribute garb

bags. Shirts and Frisbees were given to mem

o the public who displayed environmen

responsible behavior.

We also trained a special group o voluntee

participate in our eorts. This group o 35 s

loving, environment-oriented volunteers, know

the "Coast Watch," has proved extremely eec

meeting with beach-goers, patiently explaithe importance o beach cleanliness, and ta

part in cleanliness assessments. I believe t

have a high potential to increase social community involvement and awareness.

The ourth pillar is enorcement. Both the Mino the Environment and the Nature and PAuthority take action against individuals who

the beach and against local authorities which

not clean their beaches.

What are the results in the feld?To date, 1 local authorities, including E

are implementing the project. We initia

that we wanted to achieve clean

coasts and then came up with a

method to measure this. In the past, our

cleanup campaigns were sporadic.

This time, we careully analyzed what

needed to be done. We realized thatthe public is simply not interested in how many

bags o garbage or how many tons o garbage

are collected during cleanup campaigns. Whatis important to the public is the bottom line: thecleanliness o the beach cest tout! Around thisdesired outcome, we crated a solution.

The problem solving approach requiresmeasurable results. How do you measure thesuccess o the project?We developed an objective and measurable

ormula, a clean coast index, to tell us whether

the coast is clean or dirty. Since we knew thatthe main component o waste on the coast is

plastic, which constitutes at least 80% o all waste

on the shoreline, we used plastic as a cleanliness

indicator. We based our index on the number o

individual plastic pieces rom bottle cap size to

larger items on a given stretch o undeclared

beach. We then scored each beach based on

the number o plastic pieces ound. For example,

a score o less than 5 means a "very clean" beach;

a score o 10-0 means a "dirty" beach.

We continuously ollow up on the cleanliness

level because beach conditions are dynamicand litter is transported rom beach to beach

and rom sea to beach. The idea is to remain

updated and to inorm the public. Thereore, the

clean coast index is published on our website. The

results are updated bimonthly and are open and

transparent to all.

What are the main components o the project?The frst pillar o the project is local authorityresponsibility. Local authorities are legally boundto clean up beaches in their jurisdiction and do

this or their declared beaches. However, since

we knew that nancial diculties hampered their

ability to continuously clean up and maintain their

undeclared beaches, we decided to participate

in the project.

The second pillar is long-term education. Ourgoal is to educate the next generation youth

groups, soldiers and schoolchildren. This part o

We mustclean up ourcoastlines in

the same waywe clean upour homes

all the time!

Cleaning Eilats beach. Photo: Keren Mizrachi


11/36

11

Director, Enorcement Coordination Division

The Enorcement Coordination Division is responsible,

among other things, or integrating the environmental

problem solving approach into selected projects in theMinistry o the Environment. One o these collecting used

oil lters rom garages or recycling has already met with

major success. We managed to increase the number o

garages which collect used oil lters rom a ew dozen to 1,300 and the number

o oil lters which are annually collected rom 14,000 to 1.5 million.

Today, we are expanding the approach to other projects, including minimization o

brine discharge into the environment rom such sectors as hospitals and the ood

industry and sae disposal and treatment o construction and demolition waste.The brine project should help solve the problem o sewage salination in Israel where

efuent recovery or agricultural purposes is so important, while the construction

waste project should acilitate a solution to one o the countrys most widespread

solid waste problems - improper disposal o construction waste.

Yet, without doubt, our greatest success is the clean coast project. We chose toconcentrate on the litter problem on our beaches or two interrelated reasons: First,

we recognized that our coastline, which includes wide stretches o undeclaredbeaches, is a public resource which must be accessible and attractive to all sectors

o the population. Second, we realized that previous coastal cleanups simply did

not make a long-term dierence in the cleanliness level o our beaches.

In examining the problem, we discovered that local authorities would not or

could not take sole responsibility or cleaning up undeclared beaches within

their jurisdiction. Rather than taking an antagonistic or an adversarial approach,

we opted to "push" local authorities into accepting their responsibility by oering to

und 70% o the cleanup costs but with a string attached: that beach cleanupswill be thorough, methodical and requent.

By working with the stakeholders rather than against them, we achieved very

encouraging results. Most o the coastal local authorities have joined the project

and, as demonstrated by the clean coast index, the cleanliness level has denitely

improved in comparison to the baseline index. However, we did send warnings

to six municipalities and issued cleanup orders to two local authorities Acre and

Kiryat Yam. The results were not long in coming. Acre, or example, took its beach

cleanup so seriously that its index went up to "clean" and "very clean" in almost

no time at all.

Finally, we closed the circle with a massive inormation campaign in the media

and inormation and education weekdays on the beaches, with the aid o marineinspectors and a volunteer "Coast Watch."

Not only did these integrated activities make a real dierence in the cleanlinesslevel o our open beaches, but, even more importantly, local authorities began to

recognize their responsibility or keeping their undeclared beaches clean, something

which was ar rom sel-evident at the beginning o the project. We hope to see

the same level o cooperation in 006 as we did in 005.

Zohar ShkalimOn The Environmental Problem

Solving Approachenorcement measures against those

municipalities that initially opted not to join

and not to clean. For example, Acre, which

was originally reluctant to join the project,

made major progress when it was served with

a warning prior to a cleanup decree romthe Ministry o the Environment. In almost notime at all, its cleanliness index went up rom

"extremely dirty" to "clean" or "very clean."

On the last week o January 006, the index

showed that 54% o our open, undeclared

coastline measures "clean" to "very clean,"

and 50% o the coastline is cleaner than it

was at the beginning o the project in June

005.

What are your major conclusions andexpectations?

The clean coast index conrms the volatilecondition o our beaches, which can change

overnight, as substantial quantities o litter

wash up rom the sea. This reinorces the

need or continuous cleanups and visibly

demonstrates the act that the environment

knows no borders.

I we are to guarantee a clean and open

coastline over time, we cannot aord to stop

cleaning and, at the same time, we need

to continue our educational work, public

campaigns and enorcement. Since coastal

cleanups are not our direct responsibility, Ihope that within two to three years, the

cleanliness message will inltrate, so that the

momentum will continue. At that time we

would like to see the Ministry o the Interior,

other relevant ministries and especially

local authorities take responsibility or the

continuation o the project.

My vision is simple: i everyone just takescare o their own litter and i municipalitiesacknowledge their responsibility, the beachlitter problem will drastically lessen, or even

disappear. I would also like to conveythe message to the other parties to theBarcelona Convention that the simultaneous

launching o this program or one similar to itthroughout the Mediterranean basin wouldcontribute most signifcantly to solving thelitter problem.


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sources

Reducing air pollution rom

transportation and industrial sources

Fuel combustion or electricity

generation has long been

targeted as a major polluter in

Israel. It is responsible or about

50% o the countrys air pollution,

with sulur dioxide, nitrogen

oxides and particulates themajor culprits. Thats not to say

that the electricity sector has

gone unsupervised. Pollutant

emissions rom the countrys

power plants are regulatedunder a number o statutory

instruments:

Administrative orders (personal

decrees) under the Abatement

o Nuisances Law.

Conditions or the prevention

o air pollution under the

Businesses Licensing Law.

Nuisance prevention plans

or coal-red power plants

and gas turbines under the

Planning and Building Law.Today, ollowing a decade

o work, yet another legal

instrument is nearing ruition: the

Ministry o the Environment has

completed to drat air pollution

abatement regulations which

are specically targeted at the electricity

sector.

Moving rom Negotiations to Agreements

The Ministry o the Environment is convinced that

regulations on air pollution abatement rom the

electricity sector will benet all stakeholders. They

will provide the Ministry o the Environment with

eective control and enorcement mechanisms,

on the one hand, while providing electricity

producers and decision makers with clear

requirements so as to reduce uncertainties and

promote long-range planning, on the other hand.

Regulating TheElectricity Sector

How to prevent airpollution rom powerplants? Regulationsrecently drated bythe Ministry o theEnvironment are

expected to providethe ministry witheective control

and enorcementmechanisms, on the one

hand, while providingelectricity producersand decision makers

with clear requirementson air pollution

abatement romelectricity production

units, on the other hand.

Yet negotiations between

stakeholders have been long

hard. In 1999, some headway

made when an agreement

reached between the Min

o the Environment, Ministr

Inrastructures and Israel Elec

Corporation (known as

Goren-Brovender Agreem

on principles, conditions

requirements or existing

planned power units which wremain in eect until regulat

are promulgated.

The agreement related

uel quality in power stati

reduction targets accordin

standards and timetables,

pollution abatement measu

In parallel, eorts contin

to drat regulations based

the proposal or an upda

European Directive on limitation o emissions o cer

pollutants into the air rom la

combustion plants.

However, objections by

Ministries o Finance and

Inrastructures and by the Is

Electric Corporation, largely based on nan

and reliability o supply considerations, hampe

progress. When European Directive 001/80/E

much more comprehensive and stringent direc

than its 1988 predecessor, was nalized, it

decided that Israel's new regulations shouldbased on it.

Milestones Toward Implementation

While the promulgation o the regulations is no

in sight, important progress has nevertheless b

made. Two precedent-setting developments

worthy o special mention.

Hadera power plant. Photo: Ilan Malester


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13

Public hearing on the emissionstandards: For the rst time ever,a public hearing on proposed

regulations was held in September

005. During the hearing, the Ministry

o the Environment presented the newstandards to all relevant stakeholders,

including representatives o the Ministry

o Inrastructure, Ministry o Finance,

Electricity Authority, Israel Electric

Corporation, Ministry o Health, Ministry o the

Interior, regional associations o towns or the

environment and municipal environmental units,

Manuacturers Association o Israel and green

organizations including Lie and Environment and

the Israel Union or Environmental Deense. Based

on the comments, nal adaptations were made

in the regulations prior to their transer to theMinistry o Justice.

Cost estimates o pollution prevention: Inaccordance with a Ministry o Inrastructure

request, the Israel Electric Corporation prepared

an analysis o the economic costs o implementingthe regulations. The report reviews the potential

impacts o implementing the regulations, under

dierent scenarios and timetables, on cost o

electricity, reliability o supply and environmental

perormance. Calculations were based on three

actors: estimates o investment, maintenance

and operation o pollution reduction measures;additional cost or each kilowatt hour o electricity

which is produced and sold; and estimated

incremental cost o pollutant reduction per

ton.

The Environment Ministry estimates that ullimplementation o the proposed regulations willlead to a 60% reduction in sulur dioxide andnitrogen oxides emissions and more than a 10%decrease in particulate emissions. The price tagor compliance with the proposed regulations isestimated at $1.4 billion.

Putting a Dollar Sign on Pollutant Emissions

While the Electric Corporation report places a

high price tag on air pollution prevention, themarginal external costs o pollutant emissions - in

terms o estimated costs o morbidity, mortality,

property damage and damage to fora and

auna - are by no means low. Using

calculations made by the European

Union or the external costs o pollutant

emissions (in terms o dollar per ton

o pollutant emitted) in dierent

countries, an initial estimate o theexternal costs o pollutant emissions

rom dierent power plants was

made in Israel. While the calculation

or each country diers based on

economic indicators, Israel used the numbers

adopted or Greece as initial indicators. The

result in terms o dollars per ton o pollutant

emitted is: $9500 per ton o particulate emissions,

$400 or nitrogen oxides, $3190 or sulur oxides

and $7 or carbon monoxide. Based on these

gures, the external cost, in terms o cents per

kilowatt hour produced, was calculated ordierent power plants in Israel.

Today, the Public Utilities Authority Electricity

(Electricity Authority), an independent body

responsible or overseeing the electricity sector,

along with the Ministry o the Environment,

is planning a cost/benet analysis o the

implementation o the drat regulations, in

order to check cost to the economy, cost o

alternative measures, impact on electricity taris

and external costs. This will be the rst time that

decision making on pollution reduction will be

made on the basis o cost/benet analysis.

On the Way to Implementation

Today, all stakeholders are convinced that the

proposed regulations are important and vital

to determine clear environmental rules or the

long-term planning and operation o power

plants in Israel. Yet, as evidenced by the IEC

report, the price tag or implementation o the

European Directive is high and problems in the

reliability o supply are anticipated in most o

the scenarios. Nevertheless, it is expected that

once the cost-benet analysis is in, answers willbe more readily available.

There is no doubt that the emission levels set in

the proposed regulations will come into eect.

The only questions let to answer are when and

at what price. Hopeully, these answers will be

orthcoming in 006.

A Look at the ProposedRegulations

The drat Abatement o

Nuisances Regulations (Pre-

vention o Air Pollution

rom Electricity Production)

are largely based on theEuropean Directive o 001,

with some modications

to suit conditions in Israel,

especially with regard to

existing power plants.

Objective: To prevent andminimize considerable or

unreasonable air pollution,

dened as pollutant emiss-

ions exceeding permissible

emission limit values accord-

ing to type o electricityproduction unit and type o

uel, rom power generation

units.

Power generation unitscovered: Steam-poweredpower plants, both coal-

red and uel-oil red, gas

turbines, combined cycle

power units and diesel

generators, whose rated

thermal input is not less

than 50 MW and whichare licensed or electricity

production.

Required measures: BestAvailable Techniques, energy

eciency and approved

standard uels.

Monitoring requirements:Continuous monitoring in

most cases.

Requirements or existingand new plants: Dierentrequirements or existing

(operational since 1998) and

new plants. More stringent

requirements may be set

within the ramework o

other legislation.

The pricetag or

compliancewith the

proposed

regulations isestimated at

$1.4 billion


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Does Israel have unique conditions

which aect air pollution?Israel is one o the densest countries in

the world in terms o both population

and land area. I pollutant emissions per

capita in Israel are considered high, they

are even higher when calculated in terms

o emissions per square kilometer.

In addition, Israel is characterized by some eatures

that are pertinent to developing countries and

others that are relevant to developed countries.

For example, the birth rate in Israel is much

higher than in developed countries, but the

standard o living is characteristic o developedcountries. This is refected, among other things,

by growing demands or electrical appliances

such as air conditioners. In addition, Israels energy

eciency is lower than in developed countries.

This combination o actors translates into high

demands or electricity, inecient energy use

and air pollution.

In addition, it is important to remember that Israel,unlike European states or example, is an isolated

island in terms o its electricity network. This requires

us to preserve a sucient production capacity to

respond to peak demands in winter or summer.Why did Israel choose to base its emissionstandards or power plants on EuropeanDirectives?

We chose the European Directive because it

presents "balanced" requirements which are

well researched and accepted in the European

Community. The guidelines set minimum

requirements or compliance in all states, while

allowing countries the option o adopting more

stringent standards. These requirements are

appropriate or Israel because they are based

on pollution prevention technologies whichare available worldwide and are applicable to

Israel.

What else does the Ministry o the Environmentadvocate in order to achieve sustainableenergy production?

Israel has to promote and implement a combination

o actions in order to reduce air pollution rom

Dr. Eugenia Bernshtein On Energy

power plants, including a switch to nat

gas in generating stations and compliawith existing and new regulations. Howe

we must introduce energy conservatio

well. It is estimated that it is possible to s

some 0% o energy consumption in die

sectors.

What has been done in the feld o renewabenergy?

Israel was the rst country worldwide to introdsolar collectors in residential buildings or hea

water, but we have since lagged behind. On

positive side, there is a government decision November 00 which states that beginnin

007, at least % o the electricity supplied

consumers should be rom renewable ene

sources, with an additional one percent incre

every three years.

There are plans or a 50 MW wind arm in Ra

Sirin and Maale Gilboa in the north o Is

and a 100 MW solar station in the south o

country.

In addition, an interministerial committee, in w

the Ministry o the Environment participated,

determined the external costs o pollution.the basis o these calculations, the Electr

Authority decided in early 004 to set taris

the production o energy rom renewable sour

which will take account o the cost o pollu

emissions. Today, the Electricity Authority is giv

premiums to about ten producers o cl

energy, including wind, sun and water ene

The Electricity Authority also provides bi-directi

meters, which bring about electricity saving

grid-connected renewable energy systems.

What would you like to see in the uture?

We have to move rom economic and supply-

considerations, such as the building and opera

o more power plants, to Integrated Resou

Planning, which is based on demand-side opt

as well. Under IRP, measures to reduce dem

through energy eciency and conserva

would be considered on an equal econo

ooting with new proposals or power plants

Energy Sources Coordinator


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15

What is the position o Israel ElectricCorporation on the proposed pollutionabatement regulations or the electricitysector?The regulations will go a long way toward

promoting long-term planning. It is very

important to ensure a degree o certainty

about uture requirements as a basis or

planning. The new regulations, which will compileall o the requirements in one place, are the right

thing to do rom everyones point o view.

How is the Electric Corporation now addressing

the problems associated with pollutant emissionsrom power plants?We have long cooperated with the Ministry o

the Environment on eorts to reduce pollutant

emissions. The results are evident. Despite

major increases in electricity production, we

are seeing a trend o pollution reduction. This is

largely attributed to the introduction o cleaner

uels and more advanced pollution abatement

technologies. In act, all o our new production

units comply with the new standards included in

the proposed regulations.

What is the Electric Corporation doing to reduceemissions rom existing oil-powered plants?We are implementing a pollution abatement

program to enable our existing large oil-red power

plants in Ashdod, Haia and Tel Aviv to switch to

natural gas. In addition, we have reduced nitrogen

oxides emissions signicantly, and more reductions

are on the way. In our Ashdod power plant, where

natural gas was introduced in 004, we are seeing

drastic reductions in emissions. Existing small and

old oil-red plants will gradually be shut down by

the end o 008.

The introduction o natural gas to the electricity

sector is an ambitious and unprecedented project

which is now underway. It will have dramatic

consequences on pollution abatement rom the

electricity sector. This cannot be overemphasized.

It will lead to steep reductions in sulur dioxide and

particulate emissions reducing concentrations

Aharon SaharOn The Electricity Sector

to negligible levels. We plan to reachabout 50% natural gas use by the end o

the decade.

What are the plans o the Electric Corporation

or its other power plants?Plans are being implemented to establish

combined cycle gas turbines and to convert

some o our existing gas turbines to natural gas,

rather than diesel gas, by 007. We have also

launched a pollutant reduction program in our

coal-red plants which will require temporary unit

shutdown in order to introduce new technologies,

while maintaining electricity production. We arenow preparing a tender or the implementation o

primary measures or nitrogen oxides reductions,

similar to Low NOx Burners (LNB). This, along with

the installation o scrubbers, is required by the

proposed regulations.

Environmental Policy and Master Plan Manager, Israel Electric Corporation

Courtesy of Israel Electric Corporation

Electricity Generation System o the Electric Corporation

The introductiono natural gas

to the electricitysector will

have dramaticconsequences

on pollutionabatement rom

the electricity

sector


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Following is a look at so the data: Tel Aviv: 65 high

pollution days in the

Aviv metropolitan a

similar to 004 (but wslight decrease in an

averages o nitro

oxides).

Jerusalem: 5 highpollution days comp

to 55 in 004.

Beersheba: 10 pollution days comp

to 15 in 004.

Aula: 4 high pollu

days compared to 004.

Beit Shemesh: 8 pollution days comp

to 14 in 004.

Rehovot: 8 high polludays compared to

004.

Karmiel: 7 high polludays compared to

004.

Modi'in: 0 high polludays compared to

in 004 (but with

highest concentra

o respirable part

resulting rom acceler

building and quarryi

Air Quality In Israel: 005Data on air pollution in Israel in 005, based on the Ministry o the Environments 4-station natio

monitoring system, shows improvements in air quality in Jerusalem, Beersheba, Aula, Beit Sheme

Rehovot, Karmiel and Modiin, in comparison to 004. This is attributed to actions taken by the Mino the Environment, in cooperation with other bodies, and to avorable pollution dispersion atmosph

conditions. Environmental activities include improvements in uel quality, increased enorcemagainst polluting plants, economic incentives or environment-riendly cars, technological meas

or reducing emissions in industry and diesel-powered vehicles, enorcement o vehicular emiss

standards and promotion o old vehicle scrapping.

Air Quality Maps: 004


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17

The Ministry o the Environment publishes

monthly and annual summaries o airpollution in dierent regions o the country.Why is a statistical study o air pollutiontrends necessary?We are bombarded with large amounts o

data all the time and with lots o numbers.

What we need is a simple summary o

these numbers and the ability to draw

sensible conclusions. Statistical analysis

allows us to do just this: to present large

amounts o data in a simpler orm and

to iner trends. Mathematical models are

used to neutralize dierent actors which

may aect the results so that we can arrive

at a more accurate picture o air quality

trends. This allows us to ascertain whether

eorts to reduce air pollution are ruitul.

Which statistical methods did you use todetermine air pollution trends in recentyears?The seven monitoring stations o the

Ministry o the Environment in the Tel Aviv

region were our data sources. We then

used two statistical methods: descriptive

statistics and inerential statistics.In the rst, we described pollution

trends, based on time series, by

means o summary measurements,

means, medians and 95 percentiles.

We used box plots to check extreme

values rom a statistical point o

view as well as annual trends and

prepared smoothed graphs to show

the daily trends o each pollutantin a time series.The second method was inerentialstatistics which is based on models olinear regression in which we checked the eect o theyear, adjusted or day, month, temperature and relativehumidity. We wanted to nd out whether there was adierence between the years studied and whetherthere was a yearly linear eect, and i so, how it wasmaniested and whether the rate o decrease between

DR. CHAVA PERETZ ON AIR QUALITY TRENDS

1999 and 004 was uniorm. We also checked

the correlation between pollution levels inthe dierent stations.

What were the major conclusions o thestudy?We ound that there was a signicant trend

o reduction in nitrogen oxides, sulur dioxide,

and carbon monoxide levels but an increase

in ozone in relation to base year 1999. As or

particulates, we did not nd a clear trend o

increase or decrease or PM10 but we did

nd a slight increase or PM.5, considered

to be the most hazardous o air pollutants

to human health.

In checking the relationship between NO,

NOand NOx, a high correlation was ound

between NOand NO and NOx, as expected.

A medium correlation was ound between

PM10 and PM.5. A weak correlation was

ound between particulate levels and other

pollutants. SO

was weakly correlated with

CO and NOx. CO was highly correlated with

NOx. There was no correlation between O3

and SO, NOx and CO.

As one concerned about the environment

and as a resident, what do you think

should be done in light o the results?

This study indicates that the most

problematic pollutants are PM.5 and

PM10. Steps should be accelerated

to bring about a decrease in these

pollutants. Once intervention is

implemented, a statistical assessment

should be undertaken once again.

I should also mention that at about

the same time that the study was

published, a seminar on air pollution in Tel Aviv tookplace. During the course o the seminar, on December

19, 005, the heads o local authorities in the Tel Aviv

metropolitan area signed a covenant on the reduction

o air pollution in their region. These and other initiatives

are certainly positive developments.

Dr. Chava Peretz,an environmental

health and airpollution bio-

statistician in TelAviv and Haia

Universities,

investigated airpollution trendsrom 1999-004

on behal o theMinistry o the

Environment. Thestudy, completed

in December 005,looks at air quality

trends in the TelAviv metropolitan

area or eightmajor air pollutantsand assesses trends

on the basis o

statistical models.

Hadera power plant. Photo: Ilan Malester


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Risk assessments are not new on

Israels environmental scene.They may be required within the

ramework o special conditions to

Poisons Permits under the Hazardous

Substances Law. Whats more, Israel

has kept abreast o international

developments in this area. In act,

Ms. Sigal Blumeneld, a staer at

the Ministry o the Environments

northern region, took part in the

drating group or the OECD Guiding

Principles or Chemical Accidents,

Prevention, Preparedness andResponse, published in 003. Yet,

up till now, Israel did not have a

uniorm policy on how risk assessments should be

conducted, there was no dierentiation between

high-risk installations and low-risk installations,

there were no uniorm requirements or dierent

actories, and risk assessments did not ocus on the

ultimate goal: risk prevention and reduction.

To overcome these shortcomings, the Ministry

o the Environment initiated a risk management

project in 001 aimed at determining a uniorm

policy on the scenarios, methodologies andplans which are intrinsic to risk management

schemes. The mega goal was to prevent risks rom

accidental releases o hazardous substances rom

industrial sources and to minimize their impacts

on the human and physical environment. More

specically, the idea was to ocus on the most

Risk Management

Conronting TheChallengeHHow to identiy industrial installations that may have a severe impact on the environment? Hto prevent accidental releases o hazardous substances rom stationary sources that couldharmul to humans and the environment? How to reduce the adverse impacts o those relea

that do occur? A new guidebook on risk management rom stationary sources in indu

which addresses hazardous substances accidents, sets out to answer these critical questio

hazardous substances and processes, to upgr

industrial preparedness or preventing hazard

substance accidents, to minimize their imp

should they occur, and to institute uni

requirements applying to all actories u

regulated hazardous substances.

A Guide or Action: On the Road TowardImplementation

Today, our years later, an important milest

has been reached: A Guide on Risk Managemrom Stationary Sources in Relation to HazardSubstances Incidents was published in Novem

005. The Hebrew guidebook, prepared

a proessional team within the Ministry o

Environment in cooperation with a consu

company (Hazmat Ltd.), is largely based on

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Accident in Acre plant. Photo: Medvey Feldma


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19

USEPAs Risk Management Program (RNP) and the

Caliornia Accidental Release model (CalARP),

but with adaptations to legal conditions, toolsand materials in Israel.

The preparation process or the guide was ully

transparent and was based, as ar as possible,

on consensus building among the dierent

stakeholders. Findings and recommendations

were presented to a risk assessment orum,

which was especially created by the Ministry o

the Environment, and included representatives o

the Ministries o Labor and Welare, Interior and

Inrastructure, Fireghting Service, Homeland

Security, Manuacturers Association o Israel,

environmental units in local authorities and "Lie

and Environment" (an NGO).

The risk management process sets out to

acilitate ecient management by government

and industrial bodies in three major areas: risk

management policy; implementation o risk

assessment and measures to reduce risks rom

industrial sources.

Major Elements in the Risk ManagementProcess

The proposed risk management plan includes,inter alia, the ollowing elements:

An osite consequence analysis that evaluates

specic potential release scenarios, including

worst-case and alternative scenarios;

A ve-year history o accidental releases

o regulated substances rom the covered

processes;

An integrated risk prevention program;

An emergency response program.

The risk management plan also includes an

executive summary which is to include the

ollowing elements: policy or accident preventionand emergency response, description o the

stationary source and hazardous substances used,

description o worst case and alternative scenarios

including control and mitigation measures,

general program or accident prevention andprevention measures or specic substances, ve-

year accident history, emergency procedure and

survey o proposed changes to improve saety.

Whats Covered?

Supervised industries: Any premise subject to a

Poisons Permit under the Hazardous SubstancesLaw or a regulated substance, which appears in

the list o especially toxic or fammable substances

above a certain threshold level, is required to

prepare a risk management plan.

Regulated substances: Any material whichappears in the list o especially toxic or fammable

substances. The guide species 18 regulated

substances.

Covered processes: Any activity which relatesto the use, storage, production and treatment

o regulated substances above the denedthreshold level.

Classifcation o covered processes: To ensure that

individual processes are subject to requirements

that suit their size and potential r isk level, the guide

classies them into three programs rom 1 to

3, where 1 is based on minimum requirements

and 3 on maximum requirements. For example,

program 1 requirements would apply to processes

in which a hazardous substance accident has not

occurred over the past ve years and or which

a worst-case scenario o hazardous substance

release is not expected to aect the public.

These processes are only required to prepare

an emergency procedure which is coordinated

with the relevant authorities. On the other hand,

program 3 requirements apply to processes

with a real potential or osite consequences

associated with the worst-case scenario and/or

Primary Goals o the Risk ManagementGuide

The main aims o the guide, which is

accessible on the Hebrew website o

the Ministry o the Environment, are to:

Formulate a risk management

policy.

Dene hazardous substances and

speciy their threshold quantities.

Set guidelines or risk management

o existing (rather than planned)sources.

Develop methods or supervising and

assessing the implementation o risk

management.

Attain maximum clarity on risk

management.

Achieve transparency and public

participation in risk management.

The riskmanagementprocess should

acilitateecient

managementin three major

areas: riskmanagement

policy,implementation

o riskassessment

and measuresto reduce risksrom industrial

sources


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with an accident history whose materials appear

in the table o regulated substances and exceed

the threshold levels dened or program 3. These

processes are required to address all o the

components o the risk management plan.

What Next?

Publication o the guide is by no means an end,

but rather a beginning. The success o the project

will be measured by its implementation in practice.In order to help answer the question o how best to

implement the new risk management approach,

Haia Chemicals, a major producer and marketer

o specialty ertilizers and chemicals or industry,

undertook to test the CalARP process as early

as 00.

The Ministry o the Environment has now initiated

a wider pilot study to test the easibility and

applicability o the guidebook and the need or

urther adaptations. To help launch the pilot project,

staers at the regional level o the Environment

Ministry identied some 0 industrial plants, a ew

in each region o the country, or participation.

Criteria or selection were not uniorm and diered

rom region to region according to the discretion

o the individual director - whether proximity to a

populated area or presence o very hazardous

substances or results o risk assessments. Only

seismic risk was uniormly taken into considera

due to its importance on the national agend

From Guide to Action

According to Michal Bar-Tov, head o

Hazardous Substances Division o the Environm

Ministry, the idea is to transer responsibility o

management to the industrial sector itsel, wh

ater all is the most knowledgeable about speprocesses in the actory and is thereore b

suited to identiy the most dangerous proce

and to reduce risks. "We want the industrial p

to recognize the risks and prioritize them, and t

to allocate resources to the most serious risks o

the most problematic impacts", says Bar-Tov

Since the goal o the guide is also to prevent

minimize uture risks, guidelines or assimilating

considerations in the planning process in Is

are also on the agenda. The idea is to ormu

a better methodology at the planning leve

approving residential development in the vico hazardous industrial plants, on the one ha

and or approving such industrial plants in

vicinity o population centers, on the other.

Once the results o the pilot projects, schedu

or implementation over an 18-month period,

in, the ecacy o the risk management pro

will be reevaluated and urther adaptationsbe made. However, the benets or both indu

and the Ministry o the Environment are alre

evident: industry now has the tools to impr

its risk management and the Ministry o

Environment has the tools to improve its superv

and oversight. Perhaps most importantly,

project has helped the ministry consolidat

comprehensive policy which takes acco

o all potential risks to the human and nat

environment, rom health to economics,

transparency to inspection.

Risks Covered by the Guide

Risks to the environment: Including risksto the population, both residing and

temporarily occupying the vicinity o the

stationary sources (excluding employeeswithin the ramework o their work) and

risks to natural resources, such as land and

water sources onsite or osite.

Risks rom an accident: Dened as anuncontrolled release, re or explosion o

a substance which is hazardous to public

health and/or the environment.

Risks rom stationary industrial sourcesinvolving hazardous substances: Includingbuildings, structures, equipment, installations

or any other stationary activity which

may result in the accidental release o aregulated hazardous substance.

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Emergency response Hazmat Treatment Vehicl


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1

Amiad Alexandron On Risk ManagementVP, North Site, Haia Chemicals

When and why did Haia Chemicalsinitiate the pilot study on riskmanagement?In December 00, a major re broke

out in Haia Chemicals, which resulted

in property damage but thankully

not in human injury. Nevertheless, we

realized that there were gaps in our risk

management program. At the time,

the Ministry o the Environment initiated

the preparation o a risk management

program. When the ministry asked us

to undertake a pilot project to test the

CalARP model, we complied.

What was the frst step in implementingthe project?

With the services o a consultant, wemapped the dierent processes and hazardous substances

in the plant according to the categories and list o regulated

substances o the CalARP. This helped us prioritize the risks in

our acility. By ollowing the logical process which was laid

out in the CalARP, we were able to ocus on the main risks,

whose impact may extend beyond the actory ence.

Did Haia Chemicals make any changes in light o theresults o the process?As soon as one operates according to a list o priorities

and tools, real problems begin to surace. As a result o

the mapping process, we discovered that one o the

materials we were using was classied on the CalARPlist as a relatively high risk material. At the time, we did

not know that this material was riskier than some o the

other materials we were using. As soon as I was appointed

manager o the site in October 004, I implemented the

decision to take this material out o use and to introduce

another process.

Can you point to any other results o the process?During the pilot project, we appointed many teams to

identiy and classiy dierent hazardous processes within

our actory, one o which was ammonia storage. As the

main importers o ammonia into the

country, we were well aware o the risks

associated with this material. In act, in

accordance with the requirements o

the Ministry o the Environment we had

already reduced some o the risks by

decreasing our ammonia inventory romthree storage tanks o 600 tons each or

a total o 1800 tons to a tenth o this sum,

or 180 tons in one storage tank. We then

switched to two smaller storage tanks o

55 tons each. The CalARP project led

to a complete change in our ammonia

storage arrangements. Today, our

ammonia reserves are stored in storage

tanks which are ully protected (without

pressure) in the terminal.

Were you pleased with the results o the pilot project?At the beginning o the project, we checked each and

every element in our acility. This was no small matter

and cost a lot o money - $500,000, much more than

originally planned. However, we are not sorry. What wespent in resources, we gained in saety. CalARP allowedus to proceed logically and systematically while taking

everything into account rom seismic risks to natural

disasters.

I need to emphasize that the CalARP process is not a

magic wand. It requires a lot o work, a lot o resources,

but in return, it will help create an organizational culture a culture which I consider to be extremely important.

Haia Chemicals has denitely proted rom instituting a

better method o work, which is saer, more systematic

and more ecient.

What are your initial conclusions as you near the completion

o the pilot study?For me, the environment has a value beyond

manuacturing. It is a matter o culture. I have come

out o the process strengthened in my eeling that our

employees are now better protected. The value o human

lie is inestimable. We can now be assured that anyone

who enters the actory will be able to leave without ear oinjury. This is our most important achievement. Moreover,

the saety measures we introduced relate not only to

the plant itsel, but also to the people who work with us

and to the surrounding environment. I can denitely say

that despite the high investment, implementation o the

model turned out to be a "win-win" situation. I credit the

Ministry o the Environment with leading the way and

providing the necessary proessional guidance throughout

the process.

Haia Chemicals is a leadingdeveloper, producer and

marketer o specialty ertilizersand chemicals or industry.

Its main acility is in Haia inthe north o the country. Theplant was the rst in Israel toinitiate a risk managementpilot project based on the

Caliornia Accidental Releasemodel (CalARP).

Israel Environment Bulletinspoke to Mr. Amiad

Alexandron in November 005about the pilot project.

Photo: Haifa Chemicals


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rivers


sources

Treatingmunicipal,


waste



Onwads towards cleaner coasts

Developingtools or


proessionalism

WWater levels in the Dead Sea have

dropped to 418 meters below sea

level and continue to drop. What to

expect? What to do? A new document

provides initial answers

The Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, is

shrinking. Water levels in this saltiest o the earths

lakes, have declined dramatically and hazardous

sinkholes have begun to appear along its basin. To

address these issues, a government decision was

taken in January 003 to prepare an integrated

plan on the uture o the Dead Sea and its

drainage basin.

The mandate was to ocus on the environmental,

economic, legal and social impacts o declining

Dead Sea levels, recommend measures to stabilize

processes and propose steps to acilitate the

harnessing o the regions potential. Three uture

scenarios were to be assessed: a business as usualor deault option in which the negative recharge

rate in the basin would continue, a scenario o

restoration o reshwater fow to the Dead Sea

rom the Jordan River system and a scenario that

would see the construction o a seawater conduit

rom the Red Sea to the Dead Sea.

The Deault Option

The rst phase o the document on the "Dead

Sea and its Drainage Basin: Assessment o Status

and Policy Guidelines under Continued Negative

Water Balance o the Lake" sets out to conrontthe uncertainties arising rom dropping lake

levels and emerging sinkholes. Prepared by the

Ministry o the Environment in cooperation with

the Jerusalem Institute or Israel Studies and the

Geological Survey o Israel, it relates to the uture

o the Dead Sea and its basin under the deault

Catalyzing economic growthand national interests

Conronting The

Dead Sea Dilemma

Catalyzingeconomic


option - the scenario that predicts what is like

occur in the Dead Sea and its surroundings i

steps are taken to stop water level declines.

The report points out that hundreds o sinkh

have been exposed as a result o the De

Seas retreating water line rom the approxim

400 meter topographic contour downwa

This phenomenon is a saety risk as well as

economic problem, since it has halted ut

development and has put some exis

development at risk. Furthermore, since th

conditions will be relevant or the oreseea

planning horizon, new development strate

should be pursued. At the same time, trend-tursteps should be examined in order to ormu

a long-term integrated and sustainable natio

policy or the Dead Sea.

Conronting the Uncertainty

In order to minimize the uncertainties and prov

or the urther sae development o the region,

editors o the report identied and mapped a

where substrate ailure is anticipated at var

levels o certainty as well as areas o stable a

sae substrate where development can proce

without restrictions. This does much to dispeluncertainty which has accompanied the dec

o lake water.

On the basis o these in-depth studies, the po

document presents a multidisciplinary perspec

and a well-grounded orecast o the uture


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3

the Dead Sea and its shores, which "constitutes

a basis or ormulating a policy o management

and development that meets the changing

conditions, and can enable ongoing activity

and development o the regions potential." The

about 00 years at a level o about

550 meters below mean sea level.

Dropping lake levels will lead to

changes in the location o the

uture shoreline and the physical

Pinpointing the Risks: What Dothe Maps Show?

Location o the likely uture

shorelines in space and in

time.

Subsidence and sinkhole

prone areas: active sinkhole

sites, areas in which there

is a potential or sinkholes,areas in which the possibility

o sinkholes cannot be ruled

out, and areas in which

sinkholes are not expected

to develop.

Exposure o mud fats, steep

slopes and regions prone to

landslides and mudslides.

Accelerated undercutting

and deepening o the creeks,

which threaten to damage

roads, bridges and other

inrastructure.

Potential damage to the

stability o natural water

pools, such as Einot-Zukim,

Kaneh and Samar.

Potential loss o underground

water storage capacity.

The policydocument presentsa multidisciplinaryperspective anda well-grounded

orecast o the utureo the Dead Sea andits shores

report also includes a list o recommendations or

implementation by specic bodies. For example:

planning agencies should use sinkhole and

subsidence maps as a basis or issuing planning

and building permits; the Geological Survey o

Israel should continue to monitor changes in the

physical inrastructure and to routinely update

the maps; and a new regional master plan should

be prepared or the western shores o the Dead

Sea which will adopt a new planning approach,

based on anticipated dynamic changes.

Main Conclusions

The deault option will be relevant to the

oreseeable planning horizon (at least 0-40

years), but, at the same time, trend-turning steps

should be examined, in order to ormulate a

long-term integrated and sustainable national

policy.

The negative water balance o the Dead Sea

will not improve in the oreseeable uture. Water

levels will continue to drop at a rate o one

meter per year or more - dropping to about

440 m below sea level in 05 and -465 m by

050.

Even ater implementation o a remedial

program (e.g., building a sea conduit or restoringthe natural infow), raising the lake rom 435-440

meters below sea level to any target level will

be a lengthy process.

The Dead Sea will not disappear even i no

measures are taken to change the negative water

balance. It is likely to reach a stable situation in

conditions along the coasts. These

changes will impact on the stability

o inrastructures and may impact on

structures, roads, bridges, agricultural

areas, engineering works, and

more.

Dropping lake levels will be

accompanied by shoreline retreat

and increasing distances between

the lake and tourism sites and access

roads. This issue should be addressed

in order to allow visitors to continue

to enjoy sae access to the sea.

Dropping lake levels may lead to a

reduction in biodiversity, changes inmigration patterns and damage to

unique local ecosystems.

Will the Document Make aDierence?

It is widely agreed that the Dead Sea is

one o Israels most important resources

a oremost industrial base and a

top-priority tourist site, both nationally

and internationally. Publication o the

rst phase o the policy document

has helped eliminate some o theuncertainty concerning the uture o

the Dead Sea and its environs while

opening up new possibilities or creative

solutions and innovative measures

which would allow the area to meet

its promise and potential.

Dead Sea sinkholes

and views. Photos:

Eli Raz


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rivers


sources

Treatingmunicipal,


waste



4

Developingtools or


proessionalism

Catalyzing economic growthand national interests

Catalyzingeconomic


Head, Unit or Environmental Policy

Galit Cohen On The Dead Sea

What catalyzed the initiative toprepare a policy document on theuture o the Dead Sea?

This goes back about ve years. At the

time, two opposing initiatives were on

the table: First, an initiative, promoted

by Friends o the Earth Middle East, to register the

entire Dead Sea Basin as a Biosphere Reserve.

Second, plans or accelerated development,

especially thousands o new hotel rooms in the

Ein Gedi area.

Yet, at this very time, we were seeing extreme

physical changes in the area: the appearance

o sinkholes, extreme reactions o river fow and

undercutting with damage to inrastructure. We

realized that these physical processes had to be

taken into account in the planning process or

the uture development o the Dead Sea area.

We also realized that the geological processes

that were taking place were complex and that

a major study would have to be taken in order

to come up with an integrated and sustainablepolicy or the area.

What did the Ministry o the Environment do?

We recognized that we must link physical

processes with plans, science with decision-

making. We thereore sought the cooperation

o experts in the eld, especially rom the Ministry

o Inrastructure which has the necessary research

institutions, including the Geological Surv

israel environment bulletin 2006 vol 30

Documents