Haifa Municipality Summons Bazan Group Management for Hearing Ahead of Possible Cessation of Operations | First Publication
The Haifa Municipality has summoned the management of the Bazan Group for a hearing ahead of a possible cessation of operations at its plants, following a severe benzene pollution incident in Haifa Bay that led to the closure of two schools in Kiryat Ata. Mayor Yona Yahav announced that legal and administrative measures will be considered.
Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav has summoned the management of the Bazan Group for a hearing to consider not renewing permits for the operation of the Bazan, Gadiv, and Carmel Olefins plants, and even to take legal and administrative steps to halt their activities. The summons comes in the wake of an exceptional benzene pollution incident in Haifa Bay, which led to the suspension of studies at two schools in Kiryat Ata and extraordinary directives to protect public health. In the summons letter, the municipality details a series of ongoing environmental violations, including repeated exceedances of benzene emissions, violations of emission permits, and deficiencies in the handling of hazardous materials. The letter indicates that between 2020 and 2024, repeated exceedances of benzene concentrations were measured in the vicinity of the plants, and that even after enforcement measures taken in the past, emission sources remained untreated. The temporary permits for operating the plants are set to expire on October 31. The mayor stated that "the days of lawlessness in Haifa Bay are over" and that residents' health takes precedence over any economic interest.