Cabinet Votes to Close Haifa Refineries in 10 Years

It will take another 10 years to do it, but the Cabinet on Sunday voted unanimously to close down the Bazan Group Oil Refineries in Haifa Bay, which have been accused of causing severe harm to public health.

The decision marks a victory for Haifa residents and environmental activists who have been working to rid the area of the refineries, which contribute significantly to the city’s air pollution and have been linked to above-average incidences of cancer and respiratory disease.

During Sunday’s meeting, ministers voted for the cessation of petrochemical activities within a decade, and endorsed a proposal to replace the facilities with a multi-billion shekel plan for residential and transportation projects in northern Haifa.

Under consideration is the construction of 70,000 to 100,000 new buildings in the Haifa metropolitan area.

“The government’s decision is an important step in a process that will lead to the end of the petrochemical industry in Haifa Bay, recovery of the area and its surroundings, and improvement of the quality of life and the environment in the entire region,” Environmental Protection Minister Tamar Zandberg declared after the vote.

But environmental groups renewed their calls for more determined action.

“Contrary to all logic and the recommendation of the ministry directors, there is no final closing date for the bay and the cessation of refining. Instead of closing the petrochemical industry, new infrastructure is being built to store petrochemical fuels at huge budgets. This is complete madness,” said Elad Hochman, director of the environmental organization Green Course.

The environmental group Homeland Guards also opposed the decision, which it claimed was politically motivated, “detached from the needs of the public and the mood in the environmental movement, devoid of initiative, entrenches the use of fossil fuels in Israel and may even expand their infrastructure.”

The group added that “this is not what we hoped for, especially from a government that defines itself as the most environmentally friendly in the history of Israel.”