Tens of thousands more apartments at risk: Pollution at Sde Dov expands to areas not previously defined as suspected

Soil survey findings at Sde Dov reveal widespread PFAS contamination also in areas not initially defined as suspected, with deviations of up to 600 times the threshold values. The Ministry of Environmental Protection has ordered an expansion of tests, while about 16,000 apartments are planned on the site, of which 7,000 have already been sold.

Soil survey findings at Sde Dov in northern Tel Aviv reveal that PFAS chemical contamination, known as 'forever chemicals,' is also present in areas not initially defined as suspected of pollution. According to an analysis by engineer Roni Brill, in some of these areas deviations of tens and even hundreds of percent from the regulatory threshold values were found. For example, in area 301, deviations were found in 96% of the drillings, at concentrations up to 100 times the threshold. The Ministry of Environmental Protection confirmed the findings and ordered an expansion of tests and delineation of pollution hotspots. The new Tel Aviv district planned on the site includes about 16,000 apartments, of which about 7,000 have already been sold in tenders. Worldwide, no economical and effective treatment methods for PFAS soil contamination have yet been developed. Brill calls for declaring the entire area as contaminated and conducting extensive tests.