The exceptional pollution near the refineries: no obstacle to returning to studies at the schools that were closed

The Ministry of Environmental Protection announced this evening (Monday) that after consultation with the Ministry of Health, there is no obstacle to the return of students of the Social High School and the Erez School in Kiryat Ata to regular studies starting tomorrow. Residents of the area can return to full routine. The decision was made after exceptional benzene pollution levels were measured near the Bazan complex, which led to the closure of the schools for one day. The ministry said that in tests conducted during the day, no concentrations exceeding the established environmental values were measured, and a significant decrease in benzene concentrations was recorded at the operational monitoring stations. Nevertheless, the ministry demands from Bazan a plan to prevent exceptional emissions as a condition for renewing maintenance work at the company's facilities, and a return to work will not be approved until the plan is approved. Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav called for addressing the dangerous hazard, and said that this is a severe and unbearable incident, and that children should not have to stay home because of air pollution from petrochemical plants.