Israel Ministry of the Enviromental Protection - News

Green Schools Multiply in Israel

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has certified 56 green schools in 2008, increasing the total number of green schools in Israel to 150 compared to only 7 in 2004 - a remarkable growth rate in just three years.

The accreditation ceremony for green schools, with the participation of the Minister of Environmental Protection, Gideon Ezra, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Society for the Protection in Israel, took place on Jun 11, 2008, in Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo, where the students were treated to a special tour with information on biodiversity and threatened species following the ceremony.

This year, for the second year running, a special certificate was also granted to a continuing green school. The certificate went to the Sharett School in Bat Yam which has succeeded in fulfilling the multiple requirements for this type of certification.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, has been operating the green school certification process for the past five years. The process aims to help implement sustainable development principles in schools.

Schools are approved for the green school process if they meet the following three criteria:

Integration of environmental subjects in the curriculum: Implementation of an environmental curriculum (30 annual hours) per student in at least two grade levels.
Rational use of resources: Presentation of quantitative data on reduction in electricity, water, and paper consumption or increase in the collection of materials for recycling - bottles under the Deposit Law, paper, batteries, computer cartridges, etc.
Contribution to the community: Implementation of a community environmental project, which contributes both to the community and to the environment and aims to change public attitudes toward the environment.

Only schools which comply with all three criteria are accredited by a steering committee. The winning schools are awarded special certificates and a prize of 10,000 shekels.

A "Continuing Green School" must meet even broader criteria:

Integration of environmental subjects in the curriculum: Implementation of an environmental curriculum (30 annual hours) for all students in the school (6 grade levels in elementary school and 3 grade levels in high school).
Rational use of resources in all of the following: savings in electricity, water, paper and reduction of waste generation and increased recycling.
Contribution to the community: Implementation of an ongoing community environmental project, carried out by at least two grade levels: either one project carried out by two grade levels, or two projects carried out by each grade level individually.

According to Ms. Zivit Linder, head of the Education Division in the Ministry of Environmental Protection: "Our goal is to encourage schools and educational institutes to take part in the struggle for sustainable development and to educate the future generation to make decisions which take account of the environment and are based on responsibility for its protection."

The Ministry of Environmental Protection also certifies other green educational institutes: kindergartens university campuses and community centers

The accreditation program is administered by a steering committee made up of representatives of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.

Following is a short sample of some of the environmental activities undertaken by this year's green schools:

Adopting a Kinneret beach
Proper management of tree felling for heating purposes in the Mt. Miron Nature Reserve
Switching the entire school to multiple use lunch boxes
Encouraging farmers to switch to biological control using barn owls
Telling stories about trees and taking action to preserve them in veteran settlements.

The names of this year's Green Schools are available on the Ministry of Environmental Protection's Hebrew website.

Environmental Protection Ministry Distributes Environmental Enforcement Law Memorandum for Comment

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

On May 29, 2008, the legal department of the Ministry of Environmental Protection distributed the Environmental Enforcement Law Memorandum, 2008, for comment. The aim of the proposed law is to ground the role of an environmental inspector in the law and to broaden the authority granted to the inspector to enforce environmental legislation, thereby improving and augmenting the efficiency of the environmental enforcement system.

In 1991, a national environmental patrol began to operate within the framework of the Ministry of the Environment. Its function was to enforce environmental laws, regulations and decrees in Israel.

In 2000, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Internal Security decided to change the name of the patrol to the "Green Police".

The existence of the Green Police is not anchored in law, nor is it a statutory body. Similarly, a Green Police inspector is not a function anchored in law. At present, the enforcement authorities granted to these inspectors is comprised of a collection of powers which are incorporated in different environmental laws.

The salient points of the proposed Environmental Enforcement Law include:

. The proposed law seeks to establish that the Minister of Environmental Protection may empower environmental inspectors;
The proposed law seeks to establish the conditions and qualifications required of environmental inspectors;
The proposed law seeks to grant environmental inspectors a range of powers, including, inter alia, the authority to conduct measurements and take samples of materials, the authority to conduct investigations, the authority to request a search warrant from the courts and to implement it and the authority to detain a person until a police officer appears.

Stages of the Legislative Process in Israel
A memorandum of a law is a draft version of a proposed law which is distributed to government ministries and other legal entities as well as to the public for comment. Some of the comments received during this comment period (21 days) are incorporated into the draft which then becomes a draft bill, which is raised for discussion in the Ministerial Committee for Legislation for approval and presentation to the Knesset. If approved by the Ministerial Committee, the draft is transformed into a bill and is presented to the Knesset for first reading, subsequently undergoing the requisite legislative process in the Knesset.

The general public is invited to present its comments to the law memorandum by Jun 21, 2008. For further details, please see the Hebrew website of the Ministry of Environmental Protection

Second Public Forum on Reducing the Use of Plastic Bags:
Jun 17, 2008

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Environmental Protection Minister Gideon Ezra is convening a second public forum on actions which should be taken to reduce the excessive use of plastic bags in Israel. The forum will take place on Tue,, Jun 17, 2008, in the Israel Knesset between the hours of 10:00 am and 12:00 pm.

Participants in the discussion will include: Knesset members, leading manufacturers, representatives of green organizations and others. During the course of deliberations, it is hoped that decisions will be formulated to help shape future steps to reduce plastic bag use in Israel.

It is widely known that unrestricted use of plastic bags causes a wide range of environmental problems and there is wide consensus that something must be done to reduce the rampant use of plastic bags.

The subject has been on the public agenda in Israel for more than a year, but thus far, despite a host of actions, plastic bag use has not been sufficiently reduced. Among the actions initiated over the past year: launching of a campaign on the reduction of plastic bag use, four bill proposals to the Knesset and initiatives by retail chains to sell reusable shopping bags.

The first public forum on the reduction of plastic bag use took place in Israel on Jan 22, 2007. Its main objectives were to increase public awareness of the subject and to examine potential means of action with the participation of a wide range of stakeholders.

Israel Recycled some 700,000 Tons of Construction and Demolition Waste in 2007

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Some 3.5 million tons of construction and demolition (C&D) waste (excluding excavation waste) are generated in Israel each year. In 2007, some 700,000 tons of C&D waste were recycled, about 20% of the total, compared to 300,000 tons in 2006. Out of the 700,000 tons of C&D waste which were recycled, some 500,000 tons were returned to the economy for reuse as raw materials. These figures were provided by the Solid Waste Management Division of the Ministry of Environmental Protection based on reports from recycling plants in Israel. According to Uri Tal, coordinator of C&D waste treatment in the Environmental Protection Ministry, there are two main methods of C&D waste treatment: ? Recycling and reuse ? In this method the waste is sorted, separated and crushed and is finally sold as raw material, mostly to the infrastructure sector. In 2007, some 700,000 tons of the total quantity of C&D waste generated in Israel were recycled. ? Landfilling ? In this method, the waste is transported to landfills which are authorized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and undergoes environmentally sound landfilling. In 2007, some 1,400,000 tons of waste were treated in landfills. The year 2007 saw a major leap forward in the recycling of C&D waste in Israel. Some 60% of the total quantity of C&D waste was treated in authorized sites in 2007. The significant growth in recycling will make a major contribution to the conservation of valuable land resources, the reduction of landfill volume and the provision of raw materials to the infrastructure sector. The Ministry of Environmental Protection is investing major efforts in regulating the treatment of C&D waste throughout the country. In 2007, the ministry financially supported local authorities to the tune of 30 million shekels, compared to an average 10 million shekels in previous years. Of these, 6 million shekels were designated to encourage and provide incentives to private entrepreneurs to develop recycling infrastructures for C&D waste. According to Environmental Protection Minister Gideon Ezra: "The Environmental Protection Ministry's policy on C&D waste is designated, among others, to bring about a gradual reduction in the quantity of waste which is generated and transferred to landfills at the end of the process. Additionally, the recycling of C&D waste is the main means of reducing waste volumes and saving on resources (land and mining materials) and therefore constitutes a sustainable action."

Israel's Water Crisis: Green Tips for Water Conservation

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Israel is currently facing one of its worst water crises ever. By the summer of 2008, the country's main aquifers and the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) will drop below red lines (safe minimum levels), endangering water quality. Any additional pumping may lead to the salination of freshwater and to irreparable harm to rainwater collection capacity.

The contributors to Israel's water crisis include:

Increased water consumption - largely due to population growth;
Decreased water supply - following four consecutive drought years, with the most recent drought (2007/8) especially severe.
Impermeability of about 20% of the space available for rainwater penetration and adverse impact on the groundwater enrichment as a result of wide-scale construction on the coastal plain.
Closure of drinking water wells - past pollution events, which contributed to pollutant infiltration to groundwater for dozens of years, led to the closure of drinking water wells and to the inability of pumping some 80 cubic metes of water per year.

Increasing Water Production and Reducing Consumption

The State of Israel is taking steps to significantly increase seawater desalination, at a scope that will reach some 600 million cubic meters/year in 2013. This quantity is equal to about half of the fresh water which is pumped in Israel on average each year.

Another important source of additional water is wastewater reclamation. The Ministry of Environmental Protection is taking steps to ensure that local authorities comply with their obligation to establish wastewater treatment plants which are capable of producing effluents for irrigation use which would replace fresh water, at a scope of up to 400 million cubic meters/year.

In parallel to these national level steps, every individual can take part in the struggle to protect and conserve water sources, thus preventing the deterioration of this vital natural resource.

The Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Environmental Protection has published a set of green tips on water conservation which are targeted at the general public.

Environmental Protection Ministry to Take Steps to Stop Plastic Bag Use

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Environmental Protection Minister Gideon Ezra organized a public forum on the environmental impacts of plastic bags and on measures to reduce their use on Jun 17, 2008. Participants included Knesset members, the director generals of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Finance, representatives of retail chains, merchants' associations, manufacturers of plastic bags and green organizations.

According to a study conducted by the S. Neaman Institute for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology located in the Technion- Israel Institute of Technology, and commissioned by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, some 2 billion plastic bags are used by Israel's residents in retail chains and shops. The study related to so-called "T shirt" bags, which are distributed free of charge. Some of the bags reach waste disposal sites after they are discarded or reused and a relatively small part, but nevertheless very significant part in terms of its adverse impact on the environment, lands up in open space.

A recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Environmental Protection found that some 80% of the public understands that the rampant use of plastic bags damages the environment and some 40% believes that this damage is severe. An absolute majority of feels that steps should be taken to reduce plastic bag use through such means as bans on their use, charges for their use and increased awareness.

The public forum largely focused on the principles underlying bills on the subject which were submitted to the Israel Knesset by Knesset members Esterina Tartman and Dov Khenin and Knesset members Yohanan Plesner and Avshalom Vilan. The bills reflect two widely accepted approaches to reducing plastic bag use: charging money for the bags or instituting a general ban on the distribution of bags. Another subject discussed in the forum related to the provision of suitable alternatives to the consumer, whose impact on the environment would be less than the T-shirt bag.

In the opinion of the Environmental Protection Minister, steps should be taken to stop the use of T-shirt bags in general and to allow shops to sell multi-use baskets and bags with reduced environmental impact. According to the minister, this would constitute a more equitable and more feasible approach than charging the public for disposable plastic bags.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection will take steps to translate these principles into simple and effective legislation that will bring a stop to the use of T-shirt bags in shops and see their disappearance from the country's landscape.

Fish Cage Era in Eilat is Finally Over

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

On Jun 17, 2008, Eilat's fish farms carried out the terms of cabinet decision 3688 dated Jun 5, 2005, which called on them to remove their fish cages from the Gulf of Eilat. The long process was accompanied by the Environmental Protection Ministry's Marine and Coastal Environment Division and Eilat's Marine Pollution Prevention Station and by the Ministry of Agriculture's Fishing Division. One of the mariculture companies in question, Dag Suf, completed the process of removing the fish from its cages prior to the target date while the other, Ardag, removed the last fish from its fish cages on Jun 17, 2008.

The two mariculture companies in the Red Sea, Ardag and Dag Suf, were established in 1995 at the northern end of the Gulf of Eilat near the Jordanian border. A major increase in the quantity of feed supplied to the fish took place in 1998 and, in parallel, scientists discovered significant damage to Eila't coral reef. Scientific analyses of Gulf water samples in the area revealed a significant rise in nutrient load (nitrogen and phosphorous) in the deep waters.

Mariculture, or the cultivation of fish in the sea for commercial purposes, is associated with environmental impacts in the Red Sea due to the concentration of a very large quantity of fish, more than 2000 tons a year, in a limited area and a feeding rate of about 4200 tons a year.

Data by the Fishing Division of the Ministry of Agriculture revealed that such massive and regular enrichment of the Gulf Water by nutrients (in the feed and excrement of the fish) causes a chain reaction which leads to deterioration of marine water quality and acceleration of reef collapse, with its attendant impact on the biodiversity of marine life. These environmental impacts are especially significant in a region which is as sensitive and unique as the northern end of the Gulf of Eilat, whose sensitive ecosystem is particularly vulnerable to changes in water quality.

In light of these data, which indicate ecosystem deterioration in the Gulf of Eilat, the Ministry of Environmental Protection set itself a goal: to stop marine farming in the Gulf waters. In parallel, a wide-scale public campaign was launched to remove the cages from the water in order to save the unique coral reef in the Gulf of Eilat.

Milestones in the Process of Removing Eilat's Fish Cages:

Aug 2002: Southern District Planning and Building Commission decides that the fish cages should be removed from the Gulf of Eilat..
Nov 2002: National Planning and Building Board decides to approve the national master plan for Eilat's coasts without mariculture in the Gulf of Eilat.
Jul 2004: Publication of the professional opinions of the chief scientists of Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Nature and Parks Authority claiming the coral reef in Eilat was severely damaged in recent years and identifying the fish cages as the main contributors to the pollution of the northern Gulf of Eilat.
Sep 2004: Presentation of a preliminary International Expert Team (IET) report to the government. The bottom line: the fish cages should be removed from the Gulf of Eilat.
Oct 2004: The Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Environmental Protection calls for removal of the fish cages from the Gulf waters based on the precautionary principle
Nov 16, 2004: The National Planning and Building Board decides for the third time to remove the fish cages from the Gulf of Eilat within a maximum of 14 months. During this time no new fish are to be introduced to the Gulf waters.
Jun 5, 2005: The government decides (cabinet decision 3688) to approve the master plan for Eilat's coast without including the fish cages and calls for their removal within three years, until Jun 2008.
Jan 2007: The first fish cages are removed from the Gulf under the supervision and inspection of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Fishing Division of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Jun 5, 2008: Last day in which feeding is permitted in the fish cages.
Jun 17, 2008: The last fish is removed from the fish cages in the Gulf of Eilat.

Ministry of Environmental Protection Begins Enforcing Cleanup Orders in Local Authorities

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has begun to execute cleanup orders in local authorities which did not comply with its instructions. Upon completion of the cleanups, these local authorities will be charged double the expenses.

Between 2006 and 2008, the Ministry of Environmental Protection issued some 90 cleanup orders to local authorities. The orders were issued to local authorities in whose jurisdiction environmental hazards and nuisances, such as the accumulation of waste, were discovered.

In recent months, the Environmental Protection Ministry launched an enforcement campaign aimed at executing orders which were ignored by the relevant local authorities. In cases of non-compliance, the ministry will undertake the cleanups independently, by means of contractors selected by tender, and charge the local authority double the expenses upon completion of the cleanup.

According to Uri Tal, coordinator of construction and demolition waste treatment in the Ministry of Environmental Protection, during the implementation of a cleanup order, recyclable materials are separated from the waste and the waste is then crushed and transferred to recycling for reuse purposes.

On Jun 10, 2008, enforcement procedures were instituted against the Mughar Local Council in the north of Israel, when it became clear that warnings, cleanup orders and nuisance removal orders, aimed at removing waste hazards from the industrial zone, went unheeded. The council was informed that the cleanup order to remove the construction and demolition waste, bulk waste and used tires will be executed by the Ministry of the Environmental Protection, by means of a contractor, and the authority will be charged double the expenses.

Tal emphasized that the ministry intends to execute additional cleanup orders against other local authorities which failed to implement the cleanup orders issued to them in the near future.

Environmental Cooperation Agreement Signed between Israel and France

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The environmental cooperation agreement was signed by Environmental Protection Minister Gideon Ezra and French Secretary of State for Ecology Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet.

On Jun 24, 2008, Environmental Protection Minister Gideon Ezra and French Secretary of State for Ecology Ms. Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet signed an agreement between the government of the State of Israel and the government of the French Republic on cooperation on environmental matters, water resource management, nature conservation and energy efficiency.

The agreement relates to cooperation on the following subjects:

Problems of mutual concern, their identification and the evaluation of relevant control technologies , including risk assessment, early warning and chemical management;
Protection of nature and its conservation;
Water recycling, aquifer protection and renewal, seawater and saline water desalination;
Methods for environmental monitoring and follow up including use of environmental information systems;
Environmental awareness;
Cooperation between academic and research institutes, including promotion of technical innovations for environmental protection, improvement of energy efficiency and development of methods for water resource management;
Renewable energy resources and technologies, including sun, wind and biomass;
Carbon sequestration technologies;
River rehabilitation including prevention of water pollution from agricultural and municipal sources;
Exchange of opinions on global environmental problems, especially climate change;
Combating desertification;
Environmental problems in relation to other policy areas, with an emphasis on implementation, compliance and enforcement methods;
Promotion of international cooperation on the environment, including UNEP and OECD.

Means of cooperation will include:

Meetings to discuss environmental matters, water resource management and energy efficiency;
Special/ad hoc meetings to discuss subjects of mutual interest and benefit;
Information and data exchange on research and development activities, policy, environmental practices and legal provisions as well as analysis and assessment of environmental impact, and if necessary, coordination of specific research activities;
Visits of scientific and technical experts or officials for discussions on subjects of mutual interest and advancement of research and development;
Support of international projects aimed at solving global or regional environmental problems, promotion of energy efficiency, methods for water resource management and development of an atmosphere of cooperation;
Exchange of opinions and information on multilateral environmental agreements, especially in relation to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol.

State of Lake Kinneret Shores - Jun 2008

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The cleanliness level on the shores of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) has improved, according to Arye Sagron, a Kinneret Authority inspector. Cleanliness following both the Independence Day holiday and the Shavuot holiday is significantly better than after the Passover holiday.

The improvement in the state of cleanliness on the Kinneret shores is attributed to two factors: more responsible behavior on the part of recreationists and investments in infrastructure. Prior to the holidays, some 36 garbage dumpsters and some 300 metal garbage cans were dispersed along the open shores of the Kinneret. In addition, some 40 portable chemical toilets, which were cleaned twice a day, were placed on the beaches.

Cleaning up Lake Kinneret: An Example from Tiberias

Lake Kinneret is Israel's only natural freshwater lake, providing recreation and leisure to the local population as well as to tourists from around the world. The total length of the Kinneret coastline is some 55 kilometers, of which some 25 km are open natural shores, with free access to the general public.

One of the most prevalent problems in the Kinneret is littering. To address the problem, the Ministry of Environmental Protection developed a project, known as Going for Cleanliness ? It's Our Kinneret.

Among the multitude of activities which are undertaken within the framework of the project, one recent activity by the "Nofrim" junior high school in Tiberias merits special mention. Students devoted an entire day in Jun 2008 to activities on behalf of the Kinneret, with the support of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel and the northern region of the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Activities included:

Cleanup: one group of students cleaned up a neglected section of the coast, including painting and preparing the site for public use.
Information: a second group of students set up an information booth and called on residents to sign a petition on behalf of the protection of the Kinneret for public benefit.
Beach facilities: a third group of students prepared benches made of recycled waste for the benefit of recreationists.

The day was concluded with a festive parade along the coasts of Tiberias and a meeting with the mayor of the city and with education and information staffers of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Society for the Protection of Nature.

Dropping Water Level in the Kinneret

One of the major problems to plague Lake Kinneret this year is its depleted water level. On Jun 22, 2008, water levels in the lake dropped to 212.70 meters below sea level, with the red line, which signifies a water shortage, set at 213 meters below sea level. This year's rainfall in the Kinneret watershed was only 60% of the annual average, following three years with less than average rainfall.

Since water levels in the mountain and coastal aquifers are also low, water will continue to be pumped from the lake to meet demand, thus lowering the Kinneret's water level to below the red line by the end of the summer of 2008. Lake Kinneret has traditionally provided about a third of the country's domestic, agricultural and industrial water requirements

Decks Removed from Nahariya Shoreline

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Indictments filed against four business owners who expanded their beachside restaurants by constructing wooden decks on the Nahariya shoreline in the north of Israel have led to a court order to dismantle the decks. On Jun 19, 2008, all of the wooden decks were dismantled from Nahariya's beach, returning the coastline to the public and to nature.

The Offenses: The Nahariya coastal promenade includes a number of restaurants, along with several other coastal facilities. Beginning in 2005, four restaurant owners decided to expand their premises by building wooden decks on the coastal strip near the restaurants, without the requisite permits, while hampering free passage and damaging the coastal ecosystem.

Legal Proceedings: Since the construction of such coastal structures is an offense under the Law for the Protection of the Coastal Environment, 2004, the Ministry of Environmental Protection initiated investigations against the four business owners ? Papaya Beach, Roga, Terrace and Yam Bar ? and administrative orders to dismantle the structures were issued in order to prevent further damage to the coastal environment. Between the years 2006 and 2008, numerous court deliberations were conducted, including a petition to the Supreme Court.

In the beginning of Mar 2008, four indictments were issued against the restaurant owners for the illegal building of decks on the Nahariya shoreline. The defendants were accused of constructing decks to serve their business interests and thereby taking actions which damage or may damage the coastal environment and block the free passage of the public along the beach, in contravention to the Protection of the Coastal Environment Law. The restaurant owners were also charged with non-compliance with an administrative order to remove the environmental damage.

Results: The courts accepted the position of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and instructed the business owners to remove the decks in the first phase. In the near future, the Haifa District Court will decide on the level of penalties and financial fines which will be imposed as part of the sentence.

This is the first time in which a criminal procedure within the framework of the Coastal Protection Law is completed. The Ministry of Environmental Protection, which is doing its utmost to implement the provisions of this law, views this as a positive development which will serve as a deterrent to the illegal use of the coastal resource for private benefit at the expense of the interests of the public and the coastal environment.

Environmental Protection Minister to Formulate Bill Banning the Production, Import, Marketing and Distribution of Plastic Bags

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In the aftermath of a public forum organized by the Ministry of Environmental Protection in the Knesset on Jun 17, 2008, with the participation of Knesset members, the director generals of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Finance, representatives of retail chains, merchants' associations, manufacturers of plastic bags and green organizations, Environmental Protection Minister Gideon Ezra held an internal discussion with professionals in the ministry.

In the wake of this meeting, it was decided that the Ministry of Environmental Protection will begin to formulate a bill banning the production, import, marketing and distribution of T shirt plastic bags (which are distributed free of charge in retail chains). The bill would include an exact definition of a T shirt plastic bag (degradable and non-degradable, size and thickness of the bag). It would not limit the use of other bags nor would it relate to the price to be collected for selling different types of bags.

Minister Ezra instructed professionals in the ministry to distribute the law memorandum to all stakeholders, including manufacturers, retail chains and Knesset members who presented bills on the subject, namely, Esterina Tartman and Dov Khenin. The minister is convinced that the proposed law will bring about a real environmental revolution in relation to the use of plastic bags in Israel, and, in his opinion, alternatives will certainly be found, including: baskets, multi-use bags or other bags with a lesser impact on the environment.

According to a study conducted by the S. Neaman Institute for Advanced Studies in Science and Technology located in the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, and commissioned by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, some 2 billion plastic bags are used by Israel's residents in retail chains and shops. The study related to T shirt type bags, which are distributed free of charge. Some of the bags reach waste disposal sites after they are discarded or reused and a relatively small, but nevertheless very significant part in terms of its adverse environmental impact, lands up in open space and damages flora and fauna.

A recent survey conducted by the Ministry of Environmental Protection found that some 80% of the public understands that the rampant use of plastic bags damages the environment and some 40% believes that this damage is severe. An absolute majority of the public feels that steps should be taken to reduce plastic bag use through such means as bans on their use, charges for their use and increased awareness.

Environmental Protection Ministry Presents its Activities to the President of Israel

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

On May 19, 2008, Environmental Protection Minister Gideon Ezra and senior staff members presented the environmental activities of the ministry to the President of the State of Israel, Mr. Shimon Peres. Other ministerial participants included the director general, the vice director general, the head of the Air Quality and Climate Change Division and the Chief Scientist.

They related to the following main topics in their presentations: ministerial vision, construction and demolition waste, river restoration, air quality, climate change, hazardous substances, the industrial areas of Ramat Hovav and Haifa Bay, and more.

Summary and Conclusions by the President:

The environment should rank third in importance after defense and education. The President's House is ever-ready to help the Ministry of Environmental Protection promote environmental issues.
The development of alternative energy (e.g., as solar energy) and clean technologies (e.g., electric cars) should be top priority items on the national agenda in order to reduce air pollution and allow Israel to become "a light unto the nations." The President expressed his wish to declare the Negev as a research and development region for solar energy.
The greatest enemy of humanity is oil - which both supports terrorism and causes air pollution.
Higher targets should be set for alternative energy. Individual participation in air pollution reduction and alternative energies, such as photovoltaic cells, should be developed. The possibility of developing "mortgage" mechanisms for citizens should be examined as a means of establishing such facilities in the private sector.
The President requested an action plan for the development of an information center for the promotion of environmental technologies related to climate change, with special attention on adaptation.
The President requested a new plan for river restoration.

The interest of President Peres in the environment was highlighted last year in his inaugural address as Israel's ninth president when he declared: "The most fascinating journey in the 21st century will be to restore nature to its equilibrium. It is a unique opportunity for us, to harness Israeli creativity and knowledge, in cooperation with our neighbors, to create a new region and a new outlook for our country and our environment."

Israel Railways to Use Recycled Construction Material in its Future Projects

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

In an understanding reached between the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Israel Railways, the latter has undertaken to use recycled construction waste in its future projects. The decision of Israel Railways is part of a comprehensive and ongoing initiative by the Ministry of Environmental Protection to promote the recycling of construction and demolition waste (C&D waste), as part of the implementation of the 2003 government decision on regulating the treatment of C&D waste.

Israel Railways has announced that it will begin using recycled construction material as fill and infrastructure in its future projects. The decision was reached within the context of Israel Railways' intent to carry out large-scale grade separation, which can make use of very large quantities of recycled raw materials.

According to the decision, Israel Railways will introduce a paragraph in its new contractual tenders for infrastructure work which will obligate the use of recycled materials, in accordance with the 2003 government decision. The paragraph will be incorporated into the special conditions appendix, which is an integral part of the contract.

Facilitating the Use of Recycled Building Materials

The recent decision by Israel Railways is part of a wide scale initiative, which was consolidated last year in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Association of Contractors and Builders in Israel ? Infrastructure Division. Data presented in a conference entitled "Let's Recycle 2" revealed that some 3 million tons of recycled aggregates could be produced each year solely from C&D waste, thereby saving on mining and quarrying activities and reducing the costs to the Israeli economy by up to 30%.

Thus far, several positive steps have been taken which should pave the way to wider use of recycled building materials: an amendment to general specification 51 on the paving of lanes in airports, roads and aprons, an amendment to the general specification of the Israel National Roads Company on paving and bridging works which relates to granular base-layers, and accelerated efforts to amend Israel standard 1886 on Subbases for Highways, Aprons and Airports. The decision adopted by Israel Railways constitutes an important breakthrough since it integrates the requirement to use 20% recycled material in the contractual conditions of its tenders.

Government Decision of 2003
Government decision 2927 of Feb 2003 called on the Minister of Environmental Protection to regulate the treatment of C&D waste, with the aim of cleaning up areas contaminated by this waste. According to the decision, each ministry is to obligate the implementation bodies under its responsibility to use at least 20% recycled C&D waste in each building project.

The government plan also defines the realms of responsibility of local authorities in this realm, including establishing and operating transfer stations for C&D waste and obligating contractors to crush this waste at the building site itself and to recycle at least 50% of the waste.

According to Uri Tal, coordinator of C&D waste treatment in the Ministry of Environmental Protection, these steps will bring about more efficient treatment of C&D waste. Tal added that "we are currently in advanced contacts with other large public infrastructure bodies to assimilate the use of recycled materials from construction waste."