Special camera revealed: Polluting fuel vapors emitted in Haifa Bay

A special thermal camera has revealed emissions of fuel vapors from tankers in Haifa Bay, including at the Bazan refinery complex. The vapors may contain benzene, a carcinogenic substance. The Ministry of Environmental Protection has published a draft update to the method for calculating emissions.

Joint inspections by the Haifa Bay Cities Association for Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Environmental Protection have revealed, using advanced thermal camera technology, emissions of fuel vapors from tankers in Haifa Bay, including at the Bazan refinery complex. The vapors, invisible to the naked eye, may contain benzene, a carcinogenic substance. The inspections showed that some of the fuel vapors are emitted directly into the air instead of being captured by the vapor recovery systems designed for that purpose. Following the findings, the Ministry of Environmental Protection published a draft update to the method for calculating emissions from tankers at fueling terminals, aiming to reduce the underestimation of emissions and improve the reliability of reports to the emissions registry. The Deputy and Acting Mayor of Haifa and Chairman of the Association, Avihou Han, emphasized the importance of professional supervision and advanced technologies. The CEO of the Association, Dr. Lihi Shahar Berman, called for periodic leak tests and meticulous maintenance of the tankers.