‘Stay indoors’: Health Ministry tells central town to shelter due to toxic waste fires |
The Health Ministry has warned people living in the easternmost neighborhood of Shoham in central Israel to stay inside and keep their air conditioners switched off daily from early evening until morning, due to severe air pollution arising from illegal waste fires in the West Bank.
On Wednesday, the Civil Administration said it had demolished and sealed off four garbage-burning sites that, together, had covered 45 dunams (11 acres) and caused air pollution across central Israel.
Responding to a stream of complaints about air pollution and unpleasant odors from residents of Shoham and nearby communities, the Health Ministry said Monday that a mobile monitor installed earlier this month by the Environmental Protection Ministry had detected levels of benzene and PM2.5 that exceeded the limits allowed by the Clean Air Law.
Benzene is known to cause cancer. PM2.5 refers to small pollution particles, less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, that penetrate the lungs and can cause or aggravate respiratory problems.
In its warning to residents of the Hadarim neighborhood in Shoham, the Health Ministry explained that “uncontrolled burning of waste, mainly plastic and electronic products” could release additional harmful substances such as heavy metals, which were “toxic and carcinogenic.”
Electronic waste is illegally smuggled into the West Bank for burning by people who want to avoid landfill fees in Israel and profit from the sale of metals extracted by melting the plastic that surrounds........