State of Israel Ministry of the Environment

ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN September 2005 volume 29

Ministry of the Environment

Cover: Open The Asbestos "Clean Coast" Space Problem Project Poster 9 24 www.environment.gov.il From the Minister of the Environment: Mr. Shalom Simhon Environment Minister Simhon speaks about his plans for a more Dear Reader: environmental future. 3 The September 2005 Israel Environment Bulletin, Volume Onwards Toward Cleaner Coasts 29, focuses on what may Israel launches a "Clean Coast" project to keep its well be one of Israel’s beaches litter free. 6 most important - and most Open Space in Israel? threatened – resource: open Government agencies and green bodies set out to space. Since the loss of open preserve quality open spaces in the face of growing space to development is pressures for development. 9 an irreversible process, decisions on which areas can be transformed into built-up areas and which areas should Toward Metropolitan Parks: The Case of the be preserved as open space are of critical importance. Ayalon Park Environmental and green organizations are hard at work, Government approval of the Ayalon Park should see along with planning agencies, to find ways to preserve the transformation of the Hiriya garbage mountain quality open spaces on the national, regional and local into a unique metropolitan park in the center of levels. The current issue of the Bulletin looks at some of the country. 14 these initiatives. Open Spaces in Urban Places Yet another major focus is the cleanliness campaign Local authorities, NGOs and citizen groups are launched by the Ministry of the Environment in the Summer promoting plans for a hierarchy of parks and gardens of 2005. It is only apt that first priority should be given to in urban centers. 17 the country’s coastlines. The "Clean Coast" project The Water Connection seeks to increase public awareness of the importance Water links two projects initiated by Friends of the of cleanliness along the country’s beaches so as to bring Earth Middle East: "Crossing the Jordan" and "Good an end to littering once and for all. Water Neighbors." 22 Major attention is also focused on Israel’s asbestos problem and the measures currently being taken to confront the Confronting the Asbestos Problem problem, including training of contractors and inspectors, An in-depth look at the asbestos problem in Israel and guidelines on safe removal and disposal and information the efforts currently underway to find a solution. 24 to the public on asbestos exposure. Dairy Farms Go Green As always, the information in this Bulletin is supplemented Major environmental improvements are achieved as by our English website -www.environment.gov.il/english, which a result of a reform in the dairy sector. 31 is constantly being updated to provide new information on major environmental topics and breaking news items. International Cooperation An interview with Mr. Paul Mifsud, Coordinator of the At the dawn of the Jewish New Year, Israel Environment Mediterranean Action Plan. 32 Bulletin wishes all of its readers a clean and prosperous new year.

With a Face to the Public Shoshana Gabbay Cellular Antennas: Toward Greater Transparency. 34 Editor Cover photo: "Going for a Clean Coast" campaign poster Back Cover photo: Ilan Malester Photos: Ministry of the Environment, Carol Avraham, Amir Balaban, Avner Barzilai, Gidi Bettelheim, Yossi Harel (Nature and Parks Authority), Michal Ben-Shushan, Judy Elispor, Friends of the Earth Middle East, Gerar Gal-Or, Itamar Grinberg, Alex Kaplan, Ilan Malester, Eyal Mitrani, Shai Pe’er, Motti Sela, Chagai Shyowitz, Danny Sternberg, Sasson Tiram, Eyal Yaffe Design: Studio Billet

Production: Publications Unit 2 Ministry of the Environment From The Minister Of The Environment Mr. Shalom Simhon

Environment Minister Shalom Simhon spoke to the time has now come for its implementation. Israel Environment Bulletin in July 2005 about Substantial investments are needed to ensure his priorities and related, among other things, rehabilitation and wise treatment of industrial Eto preparations for disengagement from the wastes and air pollution in this area in order to Gaza Strip. improve environmental quality and expedite development plans for the Negev, including the Your time in office coincides with Israel’s preparations establishment of an IDF "training and instruction for disengagement from the Gaza Strip. What are the city" in the region. environmental impacts of this decision? I have been actively involved in the subject of In Haifa Bay and the Kishon River, an overall solution disengagement from Gaza, which is a major is needed for such major issues as river restoration political issue with environmental ramifications, and treatment of air, sewage, sludge, and more. since I entered office. There are two major I am working on a government decision on this environmental issues which relate to the pollution "hotspot' that will make the treatment disengagement plan: disposal of construction and of environmental hazards in Haifa Bay a national demolition waste and treatment and disposal of project and will enable the population to co-exist hazardous substances including asbestos. in harmony with industry. With the right plans, we will I originally petitioned the Prime Minister to leave What are your priorities for the near future? the homes of the Gaza evacuees standing in order With the help of the additional funds that I be able to pass to prevent environmental impacts associated have been able to secure for the Ministry of government with infrastructure destruction, demolition waste the Environment, I will give priority to several decisions which and asbestos. However, since the decision to projects. demolish the buildings was taken, I have called will shape our for the safe disposal of hazardous substances, Firstly, I believe that environmental education environment for especially asbestos. Contractors will be required should start as early as possible in the school system to dismantle asbestos structures in accordance in order to lay the necessary social infrastructure to generations to with strict environmental guidelines and to remove prevent environmental pollution. I have therefore come this asbestos waste for landfilling in Israel. called for the establishment of a National Council for Environmental Education, in cooperation with What are the major projects you will seek to advance as government, academic, industrial and green Minister of the Environment? bodies, which will enable us to invest in education I am focusing on two major – and expensive – and not only in enforcement. projects, which deal with the pollution "hotspots" of Israel: Haifa and Ramat Hovav. In Ramat Another major priority is the long-term cleanliness Hovav, we already have a government decision campaign which was launched this summer, with on an action plan for pollution abatement, and first priority going to the "Clean Coast" project.

From left to right: Ilan Malester, Motti Sela, Amir Balaban, Ilan Malester 3 How would you like to leave your stamp on the Environment Ministry and on the environment in Israel?

I have tried to promote several projects since I Lilies along the coast. first entered into office: Photo: Yossi Harel, Nature and Parks Authority • A government decision on the establishment of the Ayalon Park which will afford the residents of The implementation of this comprehensive the Tel Aviv metropolitan area a much-needed campaign to clean up our environment "green lung" instead of more real estate. is one of my major aims as Minister of the • A master plan for the country’s rivers which will Environment. I am sure that the joint efforts integrate different components – environment, of local authorities, government ministries landscape, tourism and return to nature. and the public will bring about a significant • The expansion of our Deposit Law on Beverage improvement in the cleanliness level of our Containers to larger bottles. beaches. • Cleanup of our open spaces, especially of construction and demolition waste. The additional On the local front, I have doubled the budget • Preparation of a national plan for the funds allocated of local environmental units and have called for rehabilitation of shut-down landfills in additional units, with special emphasis on the rural cooperation with other ministries and the to the Ministry of and Arab sectors. subsequent utilization of their economic and the Environment social potential. will help advance I can also report on progress in the area of • Rehabilitation of contaminated soil and radiation, which is a major concern in Israel. groundwater as a result of leaks from fuel pipes essential programs After a struggle of more than four years, our and storage tanks in gas stations in cooperation including clean-ups proposal for a Non-Ionizing Radiation Law, with other ministries. and river restoration which will give us the necessary professional and administrative tools to effectively address the If we are wise enough to develop the right plans, subject, is being advanced. In addition, in order environmentally, socially and economically, we to make information about cell sites accessible will be able to help pass government resolutions to all members of the public, our website features whose implementation may well take years but information about the location of existing as well which will shape the character of our environment as planned base stations (antennas) throughout for generations to come. the country.

4 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 Environment Minister Shalom Simhon launches the cleanliness campaign. Photo: Sasson Tiran

"Going for Cleanliness – It’s Our Country"

On July 25, 2005, Environment Minister Shalom Simhon launched a comprehensive information campaign to promote cleanliness in public areas. Simhon has repeatedly stressed that increasing the public’s awareness of cleanliness is one of his main goals as Minister of the Environment. In the first stage, the campaign will focus on beach cleanliness, later to be followed by cleanups of parks, nature reserves, forests and open spaces.

The campaign was prompted by the results of a survey conducted among 1,000 adult respondents which revealed that 62% of the public thinks that Israel should invest additional resources in cleanliness and that citizens rate the level of cleanliness in the country as very low.

The campaign, organized by the Government Advertising Agency (Lapam) on behalf of the Ministry of the Environment, will utilize the media – television, radio and internet - and will see the posting of about 500 billboards throughout the country.

5 Improving the environment and preserving open spaces

Improving the environment and preserving open spaces

Preventing marine and water pollution and restoring rivers Photo: Ilan Malester

Treating Onwards Toward life-threatening hotspots Cleaner Coasts Treating A "Clean Coast" project promises to keep Israel's and the general public, launched a "Clean Coast" municipal, beaches litter free project on June 20, 2005. The project, targeted industrial and A at keeping the country’s coastlines litter free, agricultural Israel’s open undeclared beaches – those waste beaches in which there are no lifeguards and represents the first part of an ambitious and long- bathing is forbidden - span some 130 kilometers term campaign aimed at keeping Israel clean. At out of Israel’s 190 kilometer long Mediterranean the request of Environment Minister Shalom Simhon, the coastal strip and 14 kilometers along the Gulf of Finance Ministry has agreed to allocate NIS 3 million a Developing Eilat. These coastal strips are characterized by a year for the next three years for the project. tools for rich and wide diversity of flora and fauna and improving service and are a cultural, economic and environmental professionalism resource. Most importantly, they provide vital Project Components rest and recreation areas to a large part of the Previous cleanup campaigns have not been country's population. successful in maintaining cleanliness along these beaches in the long term. The current project Yet neglect and litter have long plagued these promises to be different. Within its framework, undeclared beaches, most of which are located undeclared beaches will be cleaned with the within the jurisdiction of local authorities. While joint financing of the Ministry of the Environment about a third of the waste originates at sea, (70%) and local authorities (30%), and will be the public is responsible for the other two-thirds. supplemented by education. Project components Some 70% of the waste left behind by vacationers will include: consists of plastic, which may take up to 400-500 • Routine cleanups by local authorities. years to degrade!!! To tackle the problem, the • Information and publicity. Ministry of the Environment, in cooperation with • Enforcement against polluters of the coasts. the Nature and Parks Authority, local authorities • Educational activities in schools and youth 6 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 movements. Did You Know? "Coast Watch" Volunteers • Israel's Mediterranean coastline stretches In order to enlarge the circle of participants in some 190 kilometers from north to the "Clean Coast" project, the Ministry of the south. Environment has called on the public to pitch • Out of the 190-kilometer long in. An initial cadre of volunteers has already been Mediterranean coastline, some 50 created under the guidance of the Marine and kilometers are closed to the public Coastal Environment Division. "Coast Watch" because they are used for ports, power volunteers contribute several hours a month to stations, infrastructure and defense the project and participate in such activities as uses. education and enforcement on beaches on • 95 kilometers of the remaining open weekends, cleanup campaigns and promotion coastline are either built up or planned Ultimate of community action. for building. responsibility • Only 53 kilometers of open natural shores for beach Indicators of Success remain along Israel's Mediterranean coast. cleanliness In order to assess cleanliness levels on Israel's • In 1948, when Israel was established, undeclared beaches and measure the success rests with the each citizen of Israel had 31 cm of coast; of the project, a clean coast index was developed. today only 2.5 cm of coast remain per public This objective parameter, based on the amount citizen. of plastic waste on the beach, aims to provide • Some 70% of the population lives along a uniform and unbiased assessment of the the Mediterranean coastal strip cleanliness level of Israel's beaches over time. In • The Mediterranean coastline includes parallel, a more comprehensive "coastal rating" 87 declared beaches (with lifeguard has been developed which ranks all of the services), spanning some 13.3 kilometers - country’s undeclared beaches in terms of several only 6.7% of the Mediterranean coastline. indicators: water quality, frequency of cleanups, Most of these beaches (about 70) are access to the coast, nature and heritage assets located within city bounds. and public feedback. • The Mediterranean coastline includes some 130 kilometers of undeclared The clean coast index is already demonstrating beaches. improvements in many of the country's undeclared beaches. In parallel, weekend information and enforcement activities in selected beaches are raising awareness of the subject.

Towards a Cleaner Coast Acre beaches: While it is clear that the financial aid provided by Before Cleanup. Photo: Hilik Klosky the Ministry of the Environment to local authorities After Cleanup. Photo: Ilan Swissa should help them rid their beaches of unsightly waste, cleanups alone are not enough. Ultimate responsibility for beach cleanliness rests with the public. It is up to each and every individual to stop littering. It is up to each and every individual to ensure that the Mediterranean and Red Sea coastlines are protected not only today, but tomorrow as well. 7 RONEN ALKALAY ON THE CLEAN COAST PROJECT Marine Inspector, Marine and Coastal Environment Division

How does this campaign differ from previous ones? This campaign is different because it integrates both treatment and prevention and is based on a partnership between local authorities, the Ministry of the Environment, the Nature and Parks Authority and the general public. There are three aspects to the litter problem. We know that it is easier to discard waste on a beach Improving the which is already littered than on a clean beach. It is much harder to discard a plastic bag, ice environment and preserving cream stick or soda can on a pristine beach. Therefore the first aspect of our campaign is to clean open spaces up our beaches. To make this happen, the Ministry of the Environment is providing financial aid to local authorities to help them clean up undeclared beaches in their jurisdiction. Secondly, we are committed to educating the public which uses the beach. The idea is to work with them, not against them. Therefore, marine inspectors of the Ministry of the Environment along Preventing marine and with inspectors of the Nature and Parks Authority and volunteers from the general public spend water pollution weekends on the beach, distributing garbage bags and speaking to people in an effort to drive and restoring the message home. Thus, the second aspect of the campaign is to keep the beaches clean, to rivers stop people from littering. The third aspect is ongoing education within the formal and informal education systems, based on the belief that in order to get long-term results we have to first focus on our youth – especially on Treating the youngest ages between kindergarten and sixth grade. At this age children are impressionable life-threatening hotspots and are ready to assimilate the message. They have no problem in turning to their parents and telling them to stop littering and clean up. Can we point to any improvements? We have seen improvements in many of our beaches as demonstrated by the weekly index on beach Treating cleanliness which is published on our Hebrew website. Yet it would be arrogant for me to say that a municipal, industrial and revolution has already occurred. The task before us is long and hard. As far as I am concerned, the agricultural indicator for success will not be a cleaner beach but rather a beach where people do not litter. waste In the past, we put our emphasis on coastal cleanup campaigns which focused on the number of tons of garbage which were collected. Today the emphasis is on prevention. We now realize that the litter problem can only be solved by means of education targeted at changing public attitudes and behavior. Developing tools for What are your hopes for the future? improving We are short of human resources and our budget is inadequate, but the major problem is lack of service and professionalism public awareness. If we could get to every person on the beach and find the right words to impress upon him or her the importance of keeping the beach clean, we will have achieved our goal. In this respect, we are very lucky to have a dedicated group of volunteers helping us – a "Coast Watch." They come from every location and represent every sector of Israeli society. One is the daughter of a lifeguard for whom the beach was a second home since she was two years old; another is an immigrant pensioner, with a doctorate in material engineering, whose daily walks on the beach are part of his daily routine; yet another is a dentistry student studying abroad who spends his summer weekends on the beach. All share a love of the sea and a strong commitment to do something about the litter problem. But everyone can do something about keeping our beaches clean. If every person would make just a small contribution, together we could accomplish a lot and keep our coasts clean for the benefit and pleasure of all who use them.

8 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 Cormorants at Achziv. Photo: Gidi Bettelheim

Open Space In Israel?

As pressures for building and development for 1998 based on aerial photographs and mount, government agencies and green observations (Moti Kaplan et al). In parallel, a Abodies set out to preserve quality open spaces review of open space landscapes was conducted based on national master plans and a statistical analysis of agricultural areas by the Central Bureau Open space, or more accurately, the lack of of Statistics. it, looms high on the country’s environmental agenda. In fact, open space may well be The results revealed that Israel’s built-up area Israel’s most important – and most threatened encompasses some 1,310 square kilometers or – resource. The transformation of Israel into one 6% of the land area of the country – some 80% Open of the world’s most densely populated countries for residential purposes in cities, suburbs and rural has carried a heavy toll in terms of both quality space may areas. However, population density is not evenly of life and the environment. Green lungs as well distributed and the built-up area is not efficiently well be as leisure and recreation areas have dwindled, utilized. In fact, some 80% of the population Israel’s most penetration of rain into groundwater has been resides in half of the built up space while only hampered, and natural and heritage values have threatened 20% occupies the other half. been destroyed. resource Open spaces – including nature reserves, national Under conditions of land scarcity and development parks, landscape reserves, forests, riversides, pressures, planners have been forced to grapple agricultural areas and other spaces such as fallow with the question of which areas may be fields – constitute some 94% of the total land area transformed into built-up areas and which should of the country. remain as open space. Since the loss of open space to development is an irreversible process, However, only nature reserves, national parks and these decisions are of critical importance. forests are protected by legislation or by statutory master plans. The rest of the country's open space Open Vs. Built-Up Space: The Facts – including agricultural areas and fallow fields In order to chart a path to the future, knowledge of – is either unprotected or minimally protected the present is necessary. Therefore, an assessment and therefore subject to constant pressure for of the distribution of built-up space was made development. 9 Improving the environment and preserving open spaces

spaces according to the following criteria: vulnerability, continuity and functionality. The integration of these criteria provided a basis for delineating the "value" of open spaces throughout the country. Improving the This methodology has been crucial environment in helping to direct development and preserving open spaces to areas with relatively low value while preserving high value open spaces and was implemented in the Integrated Master Plan for Building, Planning and Conservation Preventing marine and (Plan 35) and in regional master water pollution plans. and restoring rivers From Surveys to Plans In recent years, both governmental and green bodies have carried Treating out comprehensive surveys on life-threatening hotspots national and regional scales in order to identify open spaces worthy of preservation. On the basis of these surveys, policy proposals Treating for conservation and sustainable municipal, development were prepared for industrial and agricultural areas such as the Jerusalem Hills waste and Judean Plain, the Negev and coastal sand areas.

Ecological Corridors as Conservation Developing Tools: Based on an ecosystem tools for assessment of open natural improving service and landscapes, the Nature and professionalism Parks Authority prepared recommendations for the Determining the Value of Open Spaces protection of ecological corridors which provide Recognition of the growing threat to the country's conduits for the passage of animals and plants open spaces has led Israel's green bodies to band in a fragmented landscape and allow for the together in a campaign to preserve open spaces. exchange of genetic material with neighboring As part of the campaign, countrywide studies and populations. The assessment highlighted surveys were conducted to assess the importance the importance of two rare and threatened of open spaces in terms of their characteristics and ecosystems: aquatic ecosystems and the sand intrinsic potential for a variety of functions. and kurkar rocks along the Mediterranean shoreline. It also recommended four major axes Within the framework of Israel 2020, the non-statutory for protection as ecological corridors. master plan for the 21st century, the Ministry of the Environment prepared open space sensitivity Open Space Survey: The National Board for Planning maps which classified and characterized open and Building commissioned an open space survey,

cont. p.12 10 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 LEGAL LANDMARKS IN OPEN SPACE PROTECTION Facts to Remember • 1951: Preparation of Israel’s first physical plan, under • Since its establishment in 1948 until today, Israel's population the direction of architect Arieh Sharon, which relates to has increased more than eightfold – reaching 6.9 million in development and population dispersal, but also to the 2005. allocation of land for nature reserves and parks. • Average population growth in recent years is about 2%. • 1963: Enactment of the National Parks and Nature Reserves • More than 90% of the population resides in urban centers. Law (revised in 1992 and 1998 and 2004), which provides • Average population density reached 304 per square kilometer the legal framework for the conservation of the country’s in 2004 – nearly 40% more than in 1990. natural and cultural heritage. • By 2020, the population is expected to reach some 8.4 million • 1981: Government approval of the National Master Plan and population density may reach 858 people per square for National Parks and Nature Reserves (Plan 8), which kilometer north of Beersheba. sets aside more than 20% of the land area of the country • By 2020, floor space per person in Israel is expected to reach for conservation. 40 meters per person – double that today. • 1990-1997: Preparation of Israel 2020 – Israel’s non-statutory • In 1998, the built-up space in Israel totaled 1,300 square master plan for the 21st century, which placed the issue kilometers – 6% of the land area of the country. of open space depletion on the national agenda. • The most densely populated regions in Israel are Tel Aviv and • 1993: Government approval of the National Master Plan Jerusalem. The most sparsely populated are the north and for Building, Development and Immigrant Absorption (Plan south. 31), a five-year plan which allowed the absorption of a • The Negev, in the south of the country, makes up about two- million immigrants from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s thirds of the total land area but only 2% of the built area. while providing for open space protection. The plan will • Out of 366 square kilometers of sand which existed along the remain valid until government approval of the National coastal plain in the beginning of the 20th century, only 190 Master Plan for Building, Development and Conservation square kilometers remain, of which only 110 are undisturbed. (Plan 35). Nearly half of the undisturbed sand is designated for • 1996: Approval of the National Master Plan for Afforestation development by national and regional plans. (Plan 22), which protects 1,600 square kilometers of planted • The national master plan for forests designates 1,620 square forests and natural woodlands. kilometers for forests – about 7% of the total area of the • 1990s: Preparation and approval of regional master country. plans, giving greater priority to conservation-worthy • The national master plan for nature reserves and national parks areas including rivers and their environs and metropolitan designates more than 20% of the land area of the country for parks. protected areas. • 2004: Enactment of the Law for the Protection of the • Most of Israel's nature reserves are in the south of the country Coastal Environment, aimed at protecting and preserving (covering nearly 20% of the Negev) and only 3% are in the the Mediterranean coastal environment and its natural Mediterranean area. assets. • 2004: Initiation of a National Master Plan on Rivers and Carmel landscape. Photo: Michal Ben-Shushan Drainage, highlighting the preservation and restoration of rivers and their vicinity for both ecological and recreational purposes. • 2005: Approval of the Integrated National Master Plan for Building, Development and Conservation (Plan 35) by the National Board for Planning and Building. The plan, initiated in the mid-1990s, gives equal weight to open spaces and to built spaces or areas designated for development. It divides the country into different "textures" and distinguishes between different levels of development worthy areas and conservation worthy areas.

11 Improving the environment and preserving open spaces

Golan landscape. Photo: Ilan Malester

published in 2000, which provides information on precipitation, soil groups, rivers and watersheds, Improving the open space with statutory environment and preserving protection, bird nesting open spaces and activity areas, and scenic routes. In parallel, it surveys factors that have an impact on the natural environment Preventing such as transportation, energy infrastructures, marine and water, sewage and solid waste as well as the built water pollution and restoring environment. Alona landscape. Photo: Michal Ben-Shushan rivers Conservation and Sustainable Development of the Coastal Judean Plain Biosphere Reserve: This report, published Sand: The Ministry of the Environment, Nature and in 2004 by the Ministry of the Interior, National Land Parks Authority, Jewish National Fund, Society Authority, Ministry of the Environment, Nature and Treating for the Protection of Nature and Hydrological Parks Authority and Jewish National Fund proposes life-threatening Service published a policy document in 2003 on a comprehensive plan for a biosphere reserve in hotspots the preservation and sustainable development the Judean Plain, a transition zone between the of coastal sand landscapes. Based on the Judean mountains and the coastal plain and a classification of different blocks of coastal sand, boundary between the humid and the arid areas of the planning principles were formulated. country. Planning guidelines determine development Treating and conservation possibilities in each of the five municipal, The Rivers of Israel: Policy and Planning Principles: This industrial and zones which were delineated - a preserved core, a policy paper, published in 2004 by the Ministry of agricultural controlled core, a controlled buffer, an integrated waste the Environment, summarizes the experience of buffer, and a transition zone. ten years of river planning and restoration in Israel along with the experience accumulated in other On the Road Toward Implementation countries. The document emphasizes the place When it was first established in 1948, some 850,000 Developing of rivers in national planning and their function as people inhabited the State of Israel and population tools for central axes in the open space system. Planning improving density was a mere 43 per square kilometer. The principles relate to the hydrological, ecological service and objective at the time was to "conquer the wilderness" professionalism and social aspects of river restoration. or in the words of a popular song to "dress the land Preserving Open Spaces in Israel – Policy and Tools: in concrete and cement." This document, published in 2003 by the Society Times have changed. Open spaces are no longer for the Protection of Nature, Nature and Parks seen as mere reserves for development. They Authority, Ministry of the Environment, Jewish are beginning to be recognized as possessing National Fund and Planning Administration of their own intrinsic value. The objective among the Ministry of the Interior, aims to define national planners today is to preserve contiguous open belts policy and operational tools to preserve and use alongside rivers from source to mouth, safeguard the country’s open spaces in a sustainable manner, agricultural and rural landscapes, protect shorelines which ensures the needs of present and future and develop parks and gardens for the benefit of generations while preserving nature, landscapes, the population. With the groundwork in place, the environmental functions and human heritage. The time for implementation has begun. document relates to economic, legislative, social, and other tools. 12 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 MOTI KAPLAN ON OPEN SPACES Environmental and Regional Planner

Why is the issue of open spaces so What is Israel doing to preserve open spaces important? outside of urban areas? It is our responsibility to leave open spaces One initiative, for example, relates to for the benefit of future generations. the preservation of agricultural areas, Private interests, however legitimate, which make up the lion’s share of open cannot rob future generations of their spaces in Israel. There is a lot of pressure right to open space. Land, unlike any to convert these areas into built up areas, other resource, is irreplaceable. Demand but it is in the national interest to preserve will always exceed supply. Therefore, our agricultural areas as much as possible. Alona landscape. Photo: Michal Ben-Shushan we have to be more tightfisted in our Fortunately, with the help of the Fund for allocation of land for building and the Advancement of Landscape and development. Environmental Values in Israeli Agricultural Regions, surveys and research studies have been initiated which look beyond At the same time, we must find ways to preserve quality open the economic aspect of agriculture to its landscape, visual, spaces. Fortunately, Israel’s planning agencies understand this. It ecological and cultural value. is now time for decision makers to understand this as well and not to allow the random dispersal of building and development. I am now working on the theoretical basis for the preservation of agricultural landscapes. The idea is to map and identify How can we ensure that quality open spaces will be preserved for present Israel’s agricultural landscapes - wheat in the Negev, terraces and future generations? in the Judean Mountains, vineyards in the north - and then Over the next two decades, some 60,000 hectares will be to assess and valuate them in terms of their contribution to transformed from open space to built up space - in addition landscape, culture, tourism, etc. We have already identified to the 130,000 hectares which are already built up. While this some 20-30 agricultural forms which tell a local story and development is needed to meet the legitimate needs of the reflect different periods and cultures. Hopefully this will give population, we must find ways to direct development to specific legitimacy to the conservation of agricultural landscapes. areas, such as the metropolitan area of Beersheba, while assuring that the urban population will enjoy all of the necessary What is Israel doing to ensure that those areas identified as worthy of services in terms of infrastructure, employment, education, and preservation will indeed be preserved? more. The idea is to preserve the continuity of our open spaces The National Master Plan for Building, Development and without fragmenting them. For this reason, planning should first Conservation identified a series of scenic open spaces concentrate on saturating existing urban entities and the areas which are especially worthy of preservation, which require directly adjacent to them. We have to relate to the urban fabric the preparation of detailed plans. They include Bikat HaNadiv more seriously, to preserve and enhance what already exists and its vicinity, the Shiqma River, the Ayalon River and the rather than seek "quick fixes" to the problems of neglected and Poleg River. deteriorating urban spaces by destroying open spaces. How can we revitalize our cities? I am currently working on the detailed plan for the Bikat One of the things we are working on is the rehabilitation of HaNadiv region, situated between the metropolitan areas urban rivers. Until now urban rivers were viewed as negative of Tel Aviv and Haifa. This is the first area for which a detailed factors – infested with mosquitoes and wastes, associated with plan is being formulated and as such will serve as a model flooding and neglect. The idea is to highlight the enormous for other preservation worthy areas. It was chosen due to potential of urban rivers as green lungs which respond to the the multitude of values which characterize it – agriculture, social, cultural and psychological needs of city residents. Rivers archaeology, sea, nature and prime location – all of which can improve the city image, provide a sense of belonging, combine to make it especially susceptible to development draw investments and tourism, and provide a meeting and pressures. The challenge is to determine land uses for this recreation point for residents. We must provide planners, city region which protect its unique features while allowing for engineers and ecologists with the opportunity to bring nature controlled and balanced development. into the city.

13 Improving the environment and preserving open spaces Toward Metropolitan Parks: The Case Of The Improving the environment and preserving Ayalon Park open spaces

From garbage mountain to flowering park: A major landmark in the planned Ayalon Park will Ftransforming vision into reality be the rehabilitated Hiriya landfill which served Preventing the Tel Aviv metropolitan area for fifty years until marine and A new term has been introduced into Israel's it was closed down in 1998. This geometrically water pollution planning jargon – metropolitan parks. Throughout shaped landfill looks like a table mountain, with and restoring rivers the country – in the Jerusalem, Haifa, Tel Aviv steep slopes descending into the banks of the and central regions – metropolitan parks have two rivers surrounding it – the Ayalon River and begun to appear on planning maps. In the central region of the country alone, no less than eight View from Hiriya. Photographer: Danny Sternberg Treating metropolitan parks have been designated. life-threatening hotspots What is a metropolitan park? How does it differ from an urban park, national park or nature reserve? These are some of the questions addressed in an ongoing study initiated in 2002 by the Ministry Treating municipal, of the Environment, the Jerusalem Institute for industrial and Israel Studies and the Society for the Protection agricultural of Nature in Israel. waste

According to the interim conclusions, a Metropolitan Parks – Goals and Aims metropolitan park is a large open area, • To address social needs for leisure and characterized by a variety of natural and recreation in close proximity to major urban Developing tools for landscape features and/or by continuous open areas. improving areas such as large expanses of agricultural land, • To preserve continuous open spaces as service and which responds to social needs for recreation and professionalism buffers between built-up areas. leisure. Metropolitan parks are rooted in regional • To protect nature and landscape resources plans and are situated in close proximity to urban and biodiversity and to serve as ecological centers but not within city bounds, thus serving as corridors. buffers between built-up urban entities. • To contribute to quality of life and the environment and to the image of the city The Ayalon Park: A Park in the Making and the region. The Ayalon Park is a salient example of a • To stimulate plans for urban open spaces metropolitan park in the making. The April 2005 adjacent to the park. government decision to establish the 800-hectare • To create an area with high educational Ayalon Park was a major victory not only for the value for environmental and physical country's green organizations, which battled education. long and hard for the park, but for the 1.5 million • To create a place of refuge and rest. residents of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. • To contribute to the infiltration of runoff. 14 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 MARTIN WEYL ON THE AYALON PARK Director of the Beracha Foundation, Former Director of the Israel Museum. The Beracha Foundation is the motivating force behind the idea to transform the former Hiriya garbage mountain into the heart the Shapirim River. Its summit offers a of a major metropolitan park. Israel Environment Bulletin talked panoramic view of the entire southern to the Director of the Beracha Foundation, Dr. Martin Weyl, on part of the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. June 6, 2005 to find out the "hows" and "whys" of the Foundation’s The plan calls for the transformation involvement in the Ayalon Park project. of this landfill, long an aesthetic blight in the center of the country, into a Why did you choose to concentrate your efforts on the transformation of Hiriya from the most infamous central element at the heart of the garbage mountain in the country into the center of a major metropolitan park? new park. I have always been bothered by Hiriya, how it looked, how it smelled and what it represented: lack of wise ecological management. The site resembled a wound in the The rehabilitated Hiriya landfill will heart of the country, something nearly immoral, a place that had no place in decent be integrated into the park as a society. I wanted to change this. dramatic hill adjacent to agricultural fields, an archaeological site and the What did you do to promote your vision? historic Mikveh-Yisrael agricultural I tried to interest different environmental organizations in my ideas as far back as 1996-7, school. Some parts of the park will but no one was interested. Therefore, I took a lift with a garbage truck to the top of the be designated for recreation and garbage mountain to look for myself. I became convinced that something interesting leisure, others for a waste recycling could be done. park, and yet others for floodwater Fortunately, the time was right. Hiriya was in the process of being shut down. I came collection. up with the idea of calling on artists to come up with proposals for changing the dump into an interesting new site open to the public. I managed to convince the chairman Toward Development of the Ayalon Park of the Dan Association of Towns for Sanitation of the possibilities. I also convinced the The April 2005 government decision on Board of Directors of the Beracha Foundation to organize a major exhibition which the Ayalon Park made it abundantly would show what could be done. The idea was conceptual – to focus attention on this clear that public parks are not real garbage mountain and see if it was possible to change it from a negative symbol to estate. Based on the decision, an a positive icon. interministerial committee is drafting I used the exhibition in a political way and invited all of the relevant people - representatives recommendations for the creation of of the Ministry of the Environment, other government ministries, Jewish National Fund, an administrative body which will be planning authorities, the Speaker of the Knesset, mayors of the surrounding municipalities. responsible for establishing, planning, It was then that the district planner of Tel Aviv came up to me and asked whether the developing and maintaining the Beracha Foundation could become involved not only in Hiriya but also in its surroundings park. in order to transform the entire 800-hectare area into a major metropolitan park.

Although there is still much to do What was the next step? – technically and financially – plans I strongly believe that if you do something you should do it for the implementation of the park right - at the highest level and at the highest quality. Since are definitely progressing. Last year, Israel did not have the experience to plan such a site, we on the holiday of Tu B'Shvat (Arbor sought the help of top international specialists with expertise Day), children from about 100 schools in the rehabilitation and development of contaminated took part in a major tree-planting areas. ceremony at the park. Today, bicycle Most importantly, we were able to form a unique coalition paths are in service and waste of public and private bodies which allowed us to do things recycling and methane collection are that government bodies could not do. We brought in top already a reality in Hiriya. Hopes are specialists, held seminars, workshops and an architectural ripe that plans for what promises to be charrette, published papers and developed a master plan with the aid of landscape one of the world's most unique parks architects from all over the world and Israel. This allowed us to "oil" the machinery, – environmentally, economically and establish facts, raise awareness, promote educational activities and continue with a socially - will indeed be fulfilled. more detailed plan of the park at the highest possible level. Just last summer, we organized an anonymous international competition for landscape 15 Improving the environment and preserving open spaces

The Ayalon Park: Historical Landmarks planning of the garbage mountain, with the aim of turning it into a park, and have subsequently • 1998 Hiriya landfill shut down following opened an exhibition at the Tel Aviv Museum. nearly 50 years of service. • 1998 Tel Aviv District Planner initiates Are you pleased with the progress made? a statutory outline plan (Plan 5/3) for A park like this cannot be built overnight. We are Improving the the area of the Ayalon Park aimed at environment proceeding in sections according to the funding changing its designation from agricultural and preserving opportunities. While more detailed planning is open spaces land to "reserve for park uses." still required, we can already start to implement • 1999 International exhibition of proposals the Hiriya part of the plan where the land is by artists and architects for the restoration available. Other parts will take longer. of Hiriya in the Tel Aviv Museum. Without doubt a major milestone in the process Preventing • 2001 International planning workshop to marine and was the unanimous decision of the National formulate pragmatic recommendations water pollution Planning and Building Board to approve the and restoring for advancing the Hiriya rehabilitation park plan. This may be attributed to effective rivers plan. though quiet lobbying and to the fact that the • 2002 Outline Plan 5/3 is deposited for Prime Minister was behind the plan. It has been objections. Twenty objections are filed said that "success has many fathers but failure is between September 2003 and February Treating an orphan." The fact that we were able to build 2004. life-threatening up a coalition of so many interested groups is a hotspots • 2003 International planning workshop symbolic event in Israel’s environmental history. (Charrette), attended by 30 experts, The ripples grew larger and larger and more lays the groundwork for the Ayalon Park and more people became involved. master plan. Treating • 2004 Subcommittee of the National municipal, What are your wishes for the future? Planning and Building Board gives a go- industrial and I hope that this international effort based agricultural ahead to the Ayalon Park and rejects on stakeholder participation will become a waste demands for residential building on some model of how to rally socio-political, cultural, of the land designated for the park. and economic resources around the cause • 2005 Israel government approves a of the urban environment and to create decision to establish the Ayalon Park in ecological and community consciousness in Developing an area spanning 800 hectares. tools for the process. improving In the case of Hiriya, it seems to me that the big service and battles have already been won and the time professionalism has now come to put the technical aspects Hiriya: ID Card into place. Although there is still much to do, • Operated as the main landfill of the it is important for me to transmit the message Tel Aviv metropolitan area for nearly that it is still possible to transform even the most 50 years (1952-1998) environmentally degraded area into something • Quantity of accumulated waste: about positive, interesting and even beautiful. It is my 16 million m3 hope that Hiriya and its environs will indeed • Height above the surrounding area be transformed into a high quality park whose – about 60 m special design will attract visitors from Israel and • Height above sea level – about 80 m abroad. • Average slope gradient: 1:1.4 • Area: about 50 hectares

16 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 Shoham gardens. Photo: Judy Elispor Top to bottom: Galia Ben-Shoham, Eyal Mitrani, Amir Balaban

Open Spaces In Urban Places

Less than 10 square meters of land for urban attention to the subject of open spaces in urban parks and gardens are allocated in Israel per places. Lperson, less than half the amount in Western countries The move was triggered by developments outside of Israel, such as the UK initiative "Green Spaces, Urban public open spaces are all too frequently Better Places," and by growing public demand viewed as free real estate, empty spaces in which for urban parks in Israel itself. Yet, despite growing to build and develop. Yet, open space is a vital public concern, there was no single agency component of urban environmental quality. If a ready to take responsibility for the issue. Rather, city cannot provide quality open space to its responsibility was dispersed among different residents, they will seek green spaces elsewhere, government ministries and authorities - Ministry opting for one-story houses in the suburbs and thus of the Interior, Ministry of Housing, local authorities accelerating the vicious cycle of open space and landscape architects and gardeners. The depletion. Recognition of these simple facts has Ministry of the Environment decided to meet the led the Ministry of the Environment to pay closer challenge. 17 Improving the environment and preserving open spaces

Photo: Eyal Yaffe Examples from the Field Israel’s unique conditions – population growth, rapid development and an urban population - make the preservation of open spaces for the benefit of its citizens an imperative. Yet, as demonstrated by a study commissioned by Improving the the Ministry of the Environment, Israel's urban environment population is being denied its right to open and preserving open spaces space in the quantity and quality necessary. For example, in a Lod neighborhood, planned for a population of 14,000, only 1.15 square meters of parks per capita have been allocated, although Preventing Israel's guidelines require a minimum of 5 square marine and meters per capita at neighborhood level. And water pollution to make matters worse, Lod does not even have and restoring rivers a single urban park or sufficient open spaces to serve as neighborhood parks.

Even when land is allocated for public open Treating space, it is not always developed for parks and life-threatening Urban Open Spaces – The Statutory gardens. Thus, in Tel Aviv only 70% of the public hotspots And Planning Aspects open spaces are developed, in Jerusalem (2003 A study commissioned by the Ministry of the figures) only 52% are developed and in Rahat Environment on the statutory and planning (the largest Bedouin settlement in Israel’s south), Treating aspects of urban open spaces surveyed only one park exists. What's more, in Beersheba, municipal, more than 100 plans in 11 cities, reviewed for example, park maintenance is inadequate industrial and and existing parks are not adapted to climatic agricultural guidelines approved by the government waste in 2001 on the allocation of land for public conditions in the Negev. purposes and compared conditions in Israel to conditions worldwide. Following are some To make matters worse, all too often changes in of the findings: the designation of open spaces are allowed for Developing • Israel’s guidelines on the allocation of open public institutions or even for roads, commerce tools for space in terms of square meters per capita or parking. In Kiryat Gat, cultural institutions were improving are much lower than in other countries. built in open spaces designated for parks. In service and professionalism • While Europe and the U.S. allocate more Beersheba, a technological college will be built than 20 square meters of land for urban on a one-hectare area within the bounds of a parks and gardens per capita, Israel’s neighborhood park spanning three hectares guidelines call for half this amount – less and none of the urban renewal projects currently than 10 square meters per person. include neighborhood parks. • Deviations in plans are often allowed for the construction of public institutions or So What’s Being Done? even infrastructure at the expense of open How to preserve green spaces in urban places? spaces. The Ministry of the Environment believes that the • Many public open spaces are left derelict dearth of both quantity and quality in urban and remain undeveloped. public open space is largely the result of lack • The hierarchy of parks – city, quarter, of awareness and knowledge among planning neighborhood – is either inadequate or agencies and local authorities. Therefore, in non-existent. cooperation with other bodies, it is publishing (cont. p. 21) 18 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 The Gardens of Holon Some 180,000 people live in Holon, a major city in the central region of Israel, which aims to be a national cultural center for children and families. In recent years, special attention has been focused on cultivating the appearance of the city with "green lungs." There are dozens of public parks and gardens in Holon, but the most unique are 13 Bustan Brody: The Story of a Community Garden fairytale gardens. These public gardens display outdoor sculptures created by It all started a little more than a year ago with a knock on the door of one of the residents well-known artists, which are inspired of Brody Street in the Kiryat Shmuel neighborhood of Jerusalem. A representative by children’s poems and stories. The of the Ginot Ha'Ir Community Center wanted to know how to get in touch with combination of literature with plastic representatives of the "House Committees" in the nearby apartment buildings. The arts is serving a twin function: increasing reason – an initiative to turn a neglected plot of wasted land, previously the target the children’s love of literature while of building plans, into a community garden. developing the "green lungs" of The response was enthusiastic. With the Community Center serving as coordinator Holon. and organizer, events were planned to transform vision into reality, most of them scheduled to coincide with national or religious holidays: Park Rehabilitation in Taibe • August 5, 2004: General cleanup day, with the participation of entire families, There are only two public parks in coinciding with Tu B'Av, celebrated as the Day of Love for the Environment. the Arab city of Taibe, serving a • January 14, 2005: Planting day, coinciding with Tu B'Shvat or Arbor Day. population of some 34,000 residents. • March 18, 2005: Wood chip covering day, coinciding with the holiday of Purim. Both are small and run-down. But Additional activities included the placement of small rocks and the planting of small things may well change as the result plants around the edges to define the garden area, outdoor classes on ecological of a unique competition initiated by the gardening for young and old, and even the burning of chametz (fermented grain) Al-Tanmiyeh w'al-Tahsil (Development just prior to the holiday of Passover. and Achievement) association: a prize-bearing school competition to Today, the 2,000 square meter triangular garden is beginning to take shape. The rehabilitate one of the parks. Many of cooperative effort initiated and organized by the Community Center, with initial the local children prepared models – a funds from the municipality and a lot of good will and volunteerism on the part of stream running through the park, a fish the residents, is making a difference. Municipal funds, supplemented by donations pond, a zoo, and even a tram. from the residents, have helped to buy and deliver soil and saplings for planting and to set up an automatic irrigation system, representatives of the Jerusalem branch Yet the competition stimulated more of the Society for the Protection of Nature provided guidelines on what and where than models alone. A group of sixth to plant, while the residents themselves took part in the events, sold drinks to gather grade girls prepared documents on additional funds, and even provided musical entertainment on each occasion. Each the status of the park, including a event became a festive happening. In June 2005, even the mayor of Jerusalem map of different plots and proposals himself showed up to plant a tree. for rehabilitation, and sent letters Ideas for the future abound. Benches, urban ecology, bird watching – these are just to commercial companies and some of the plans on the agenda. But most important is the community spirit, the sense government officials asking them to of participation felt by young and old alike. In planning "Bustan Brody," the residents help. This catalyzed the municipality of this neighborhood got together to identify community needs and accommodate to have a local engineer prepare a community interests for the benefit of all. The result: bonfires for youngsters on the detailed plan for park rehabilitation holiday of Lag Ba'Omer, composters for the ecologically inclined, walks, talks, events, so that donations may be solicited. music and even designated spaces for dog owners. Moreover, the residents themselves have taken up the idea, promising to From a neglected plot of land, "Bustan Brody" is being transformed into a green donate materials and manpower to space for the benefit and enjoyment of community members, a place to meet, help transform vision into reality. chat, rest and dream. 19 Improving the environment and preserving open spaces

GALIA BEN-SHOHAM ON URBAN PARKS

Why did the Ministry of the Environment guidelines targeted at the decide to promote the subject of urban country’s planning agencies. parks? On the social front, we are Improving the In recent years, we have drafting background papers environment become increasingly aware and guidelines which relate to and preserving open spaces that park development is a major ways of planning urban parks environmental issue especially in which respond to the needs of a small and densely populated the residents, young and old. country where more than 90% This may relate, for example, Preventing of the population resides in to the optimal arrangement of marine and urban areas. To a large extent, benches –facing each other to water pollution and restoring the existence of quality open spaces is an promote conversation among young people rivers indicator of quality of life and quality of the or facing the playground to watch children environment in an urban setting. play for the older population – or to the best use of lighting so that the park is lit up without Our determination was reinforced by the results disturbing nearby residents. Treating of a survey on environmental considerations life-threatening in municipal elections, which was conducted hotspots What did the study on the planning aspects of public a couple of years ago. The findings showed urban open space reveal? that urban residents attribute high importance It revealed that the situation is not good. to environmental issues, with parks and green First, the allocation of public open space Treating spaces coming in second among a long list of for urban parks is lower in Israel than in the municipal, environmental subjects which are of special developed world. Second, even when public industrial and concern to the public (preceded only by open space is allocated, local authorities do agricultural waste urban cleanliness). not necessarily develop it. Third, when open space is allocated for parks, the designation What is the Ministry of the Environment doing to is often subject to change to allow for other promote urban parks? uses such as public buildings. Fourth, in Developing The ministry serves as a watchdog in the order to meet quotas for open space, local tools for country’s planning agencies when it comes authorities tend to allocate the "leftovers" of improving to the quantity, quality and hierarchy of public planning. This means that small strips around service and professionalism parks at the municipal level. We are working buildings or traffic islands are painted green hard to assure that planning agencies do not on planning documents as if they were public yield to pressures to establish educational, open spaces. Fifth, public open spaces are religious or cultural institutions on areas often used for other purposes such as water allocated for public open space. towers or water pools.

But that’s not all. We are currently working on What can be done to ensure that public open space professional assessments and action plans for is allocated for parks? public urban open space which relate to four We have to give decision makers and planners major realms: planning, social, management the right tools. Therefore, the Ministry of the and maintenance, and funding. On the Environment and the Ministry of the Interior planning front, in cooperation with other are preparing a manual, in cooperation with ministries and authorities, we are preparing other government ministries, local authorities

20 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 cont. from p.18

studies, preparing guidelines, setting thresholds for open public spaces in urban renewal plans, organizing seminars and workshops and promoting awareness through its website. and NGOs, on the quality and hierarchy of public open space. We are also organizing In February 2005, the Environment Ministry published seminars and training sessions to generate the a manual entitled "Revitalizing Urban Parks: How necessary awareness and knowledge to bring to Develop Friendly Gardens," a first in a series of about the necessary changes. manuals aimed at increasing municipal awareness of the importance of public parks. The manual What should the public do? includes chapters on public parks, community parks Public participation and involvement are of and urban ecology, and surveys success stories major importance. For example, in the hierarchy worldwide. Yet another study, prepared jointly by of urban parks, community and neighborhood the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry gardens are often initiated bottom-up, by of the Interior, is nearing completion. It will provide community centers, green groups, grassroots the necessary tools for planners to assure that the organizations and concerned citizens. public is indeed provided with a sufficient number of quality open spaces. Quality of life There are examples of initiatives throughout depends on the country where residents have taken Some Bright Spots the quality responsibility for the maintenance and Today, there are already some signs of progress. enhancement of existing gardens or for the Cities such as Modi’in, Tel Aviv, and Holon have of the urban planning and development of new parks or given high priority to the development and environment agricultural gardens. The idea is to transform maintenance of high-quality urban parks. Modi’in, neglected areas into community gardens in in fact, is the only city actually to exceed the which all sectors of the population can take government guidelines on the allocation of open part. spaces for parks while in Tel Aviv and Holon, the municipalities have compensated for lack of Experience has shown that the development quantity by quality. of community parks and gardens strengthens the community and fosters a feeling of Furthermore, new master plans for Jerusalem, involvement and belonging. We have also Modi’in and Karmiel incorporate quality open found that when residents take an active part spaces, plans in Tel Aviv and Kfar Saba are based in planning and maintaining community parks, on a green backbone, and efforts to improve vandalism is significantly reduced. the green appearance of the city are visible in Ra’anana and Ashdod.

Playground in Shoham. Photo: Judy Elispor There is no doubt that awareness of the importance of urban open space is growing. Residents in several localities are beginning to demand quality as well as quantity as they realize that the quality of their life depends, to a great degree, on the quality of their urban environment. Throughout the country, people are beginning to recognize that urban parks and gardens can provide a green refuge from the hectic pace of modern city life, that they are key elements in urban renewal, public health, quality of life and community identity. 21 Preventing marine and water pollution and restoring rivers

Jordan River. Photo: Itamar Grinberg

Improving the environment and preserving open spaces

Preventing marine and water pollution and restoring rivers

Treating life-threatening hotspots The Water Connection Treating place on Peace Island (located in the middle municipal, "Water, the life source, is the continuum, the industrial and strand that connects people" of the river) at the initiative of FoEME and with agricultural (From "Crossing the Jordan" by Friends of the the sponsorship of international and national waste W organizations. At the conference, Prince Hassan Earth Middle East) Bin Talal of Jordan joined Israel's Environment The water connection is the motif linking two Minister Shalom Simhon in mapping out a strategy projects initiated by the regional NGO Friends of for saving the river and its environs. the Earth Middle East: "Crossing the Jordan" and Developing "Good Water Neighbors." According to Gidon tools for One of the highlights of the conference was improving Bromberg, Israeli director of FoEME, "Water is a service and the release of a 32-page concept document bridge – it brings people together." professionalism by FoEME entitled "Crossing the Jordan." The document identifies the causes for the river's Over the past few years, Israelis, Palestinians and deterioration and highlights the Jordan Valley's Jordanians, on both community and government natural and cultural significance. But most levels, have committed themselves to protecting importantly, it calls on concerned governments, their shared water resources. They have shown in cooperation with municipalities, local residents that a shared environment can indeed form the and civil society groups, to adopt an action plan common basis for action, that mutual dialogue for the rehabilitation of the Lower Jordan River and trust can indeed usher in a better future. Valley and for the inscription of the Jordan River on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Crossing the Jordan On March 8, 2005, a conference aimed at raising The Jordan River, a holy site for Christians, Jews awareness of the Jordan River Valley’s shared and Muslims, boasts unique natural, cultural heritage and the need for its rehabilitation took and religious attributes. Yet the "lowest" river 22 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 GIDON BROMBERG ON THE JORDAN RIVER PROJECT

Israel Director, Friends of the Earth Middle East Over the past year, FoEME has met with key stakeholders in Israel, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan to better understand their concerns and priorities for the Jordan River. In July The Big Jump. Photo: FoEME 2004, we organized a three-day site visit to the Lower Jordan River Valley. The delegation visited important natural in the world is threatened by excessive water diversion, pollution and cultural heritage sites in the region and discussed and inappropriate development. In 50 years, its annual flow has the river with experts and stakeholders on all sides of the dramatically dropped from 1.3 billion cubic meters to less than 100 border. Assistance from all sides was heartwarming, and million cubic meters per year, of which some 20 million is untreated cooperation was felt from the outset of the program. sewage. Dams, canals and pumping stations built by Israel, Jordan and Syria to divert water for crops and drinking have reduced the Two events were held for the general public to raise flow by more than 90 percent. Without immediate intervention in awareness of the environmental situation of the Jordan river rehabilitation the damage may be irreversible. River. The international "Jordan River Conference" was held on March 8, 2005 at the "Peace Island" (Bakoora) The release of the concept document marked the beginning of a on the Jordan River, where the "Crossing the Jordan" regional effort to raise the awareness of decision makers, the media report was introduced to the public and the media. The and the public of the sorry state of the Lower Jordan River. To bring "Big Jump" into the Jordan River, held on July 10th, 2005 the message home, eight mayors and municipal representatives at the Yardenit site on the river, was a reminder to the from Palestinian, Israeli and Jordanian communities along the Jordan public that we must encourage all of our governments River staged a "Big Jump" into the river on July 10, 2005 while calling to clean up the river and allow more fresh water to run on their governments to clean up and rehabilitate the river now. in it. Many participating guests literally jumped into the river to emphasize the point! Good Water Neighbors We are now trying to unite forces with other parties Water also stands at the basis of another unique project initiated that are working towards the needed rehabilitation of by FoEME in 2001 – "Good Water Makes Good Neighbors." This the Jordan River in Israel. Over the coming months we community-based project aims at fostering people-to-people hope to draft an overall action plan for the river, with information exchange, dialogue and cooperation on the protection, special focus on two core areas which include the largest reuse and sustainable use of water in Jordan, the Palestinian Authority concentrations of natural and cultural sites and to initiate and Israel. To do this, a "partnering communities program" was set lobbying efforts to submit a request for the tentative listing up between neighboring communities, and parallel sets of "water of the river in the UNESCO World Heritage Listing. trustees" – schoolchildren who volunteer to work on water issues in The Jordan River is at a critical junction. The time has now their community – were set up. With the support of the SMAP program come for all parties to work together to rehabilitate the of the European Union and the Wye River program of the U.S., the Jordan. We would like to see the day when "Crossing project has been successfully implemented in eleven communities the Jordan" will be a cultural, historical and ecological (5 Palestinian, 5 Israeli and one Jordanian). experience that will enrich the lives of residents and tourists alike while preserving the Building on four years of experience in promoting water-related Jordan Valley's unique schemes on the community level, the project is now entering a new heritage for generations phase. The idea is to extend actions to target groups including not to come. only youth but also adults, mayors and municipal staff. The second phase of the program will also include new communities in the Water signs in Jordan Valley and around the Dead Sea. Cross-border forums in English, Hebrew which participants will interact for the benefit of their communities and Arabic. Photo: and for their shared environment will also be set up. FoEME 23 Onwads towards cleaner coasts Treating life-threatening hotspots Asbestos pipeline. Photo: Chagai Shyowitz

Improving the environment and preserving open spaces

Preventing marine and water pollution and restoring rivers

Treating life-threatening hotspots Confronting The Treating municipal, industrial and agricultural Asbestos Problem waste The Ministry of the Environment is making did its best to respond to the situation on all a concerted effort to tackle the asbestos fronts. It provided professional guidelines on problem in Israel emergency action to minimize the damage by T wetting and encapsulation as well as guidance Developing tools for On May 25, 2005, a massive explosion rocked on containment, wetting, removal, collection improving Kibbutz Afeq in the north of Israel. The explosion service and and disposal. A representative of the ministry professionalism – in a fireworks warehouse – slightly injured some visited the area on a daily basis to provide people and damaged property. But the initial guidelines to the contractors, the kibbutz and relief that worse damage was not done was soon the residents. Transparency of information was replaced by panic when residents realized that a priority. Throughout a three-week period, daily some 10,000 square meters of asbestos roofing monitoring was undertaken at the specific site were destroyed by the blast. Phones at the and in the periphery, with special attention to Asbestos Division of the Ministry of the Environment kindergartens and schools. The daily results were did not stop ringing. Should preschoolers be sent displayed in a prominent place for all to see. On to kindergartens? Can residents return to homes the first day, measurements at the focal point that were not damaged by the explosion? These of the explosion showed 1.9 fibers/cm3 and no were only some of the questions. fibers in the periphery. By the next day, monitoring showed a significant reduction in asbestos fibers On its part, despite inadequate financial and – evidence that the ministry's guidelines were on manpower resources, the Environment Ministry target. 24 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 of an international expert commissioned by Asbestos Use in Israel: 1950s-1990s the Ministry of the Environment that any future • Friable asbestos was used for thermal and development would have to take all aspects into consideration. On its part, the Ministry of the acoustic insulation, brake linings, and pical It is estimated boards in the army Environment issued orders to clean up the site in • Asbestos cement (containing up to 10% accordance with its guidelines. The municipality that some asbestos) was used for roofing, wallboards, cleaned up the area and the amusement park 100 million project was subsequently shelved. water and sewage pipelines and chimneys square meters throughout the country. • It is estimated that some 100 million square That, however, did not solve the asbestos of asbestos meters of asbestos cement still exist in problem. At the end of 2000, the Environment cement exist in industrial buildings, agricultural structures, Ministry initiated an asbestos distribution survey to roofs of private buildings, educational evaluate asbestos contamination in the Western Israel institutions, parking areas, and army Galilee. Some 53 sites were sampled in Nahariya, camps. in adjacent communities and villages and in waste disposal sites. The sites were subsequently ranked

The incident, according to Ms. Tamar Bar-On, Health Impacts director of the Asbestos Division, underlines the Recent figures published by Israel's Ministry of Health show that the risks that citizens throughout the country face asbestos related cancer rate in the country is on the rise, with the as a result of fire, explosion and demolition work current number of cases more than three times greater than in some involving asbestos containing materials. other countries, that about one third of the cases involve women and The Facts that the largest concentration of disease is in the Western Galilee. According to the professional literature, some 80% of mesothelioma Asbestos was widely used in Israel following the cases are directly linked to exposure to asbestos. establishment of the Eitanit (formerly Isasbest) Considering the long latency period between the first exposure to asbestos cement plant in 1952. Eitanit, situated asbestos and the diagnosis of mesothelioma (20-40 years), increased in Nahariya in the north of Israel, was closed incidence of mesothelioma in Israel may reflect the growing use of down in 1997. However, the asbestos problem asbestos in Israel between the 1950s and 1970s. It is expected, therefore, has not disappeared. Surveys have shown that that the incidence of the disease will continue to rise. According to the asbestos waste which accumulated in the latest figures released by the Health Ministry's Cancer Registry, there plant was discarded throughout the area of the were 567 cases of the disease between 1990 and 2004. Western Galilee and even sold to contractors and individuals for such uses as roads and sidewalks, yards and infrastructure for cowsheds and chicken coups.

Asbestos Distribution in the Western Galilee Concerns over exposure to asbestos in northern Israel were awakened in the 1990s when the municipality of Nahariya initiated infrastructure work for an amusement park on the seashore to the west of the Eitanit asbestos plant. Work on the site was only halted in the wake of an appeal to the courts by green organizations. The court called for the preparation of an environmental impact assessment and adopted the opinion Source: Ministry of Health 25 Treating life-threatening hotspots

Within the framework of the regulations, the Ministry of the Environment is responsible for the work of an interministerial technical committee on hazardous dust. The committee makes recommendations to the relevant ministers on the technical aspects of work with and use of asbestos, authorizes laboratories and examiners Improving the to undertake asbestos testing and monitoring, environment establishes analytical methods for measuring and preserving open spaces asbestos, issues guidelines on work with friable and non-friable asbestos, provides guidelines on the safe use, treatment, removal and disposal of asbestos, and serves as an information center on Preventing asbestos. Most importantly, it issues permits for marine and water pollution asbestos related work, whereby asbestos is defined and restoring in the broadest possible terms. The committee has rivers established a guideline value of 1400 fibers/m3 for ambient exposure to asbestos.

Treating Recently, the National Planning and Building life-threatening Board approved the Ministry of the Environment's hotspots Asbestos pipeline. Photo: Chagai Shyowitz proposal for an amendment to the Planning and Building Regulations on asbestos which will further minimize the potential release of asbestos fibers into four risk levels according to the quantity and to the environment. The amendment prohibits type of asbestos found. Based on the findings, the Treating construction with asbestos materials and requires municipal, Environment Ministry issued orders for the cleanup that requests for building permits for demolition of industrial and of the most seriously contaminated sites. agricultural asbestos containing structures, asbestos removal, waste or building in an area in which asbestos exists have The Law the approval of the technical committee. The Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor (formerly the Ministry What’s Been Done? Developing of Labor and Social Affairs) are responsible for tools for Information: In recent years, the Ministry of the improving the legal aspects of asbestos use within the Environment has made a concerted effort to service and framework of Safety at Work Regulations (Industrial tackle the asbestos problem in Israel. Information professionalism Hygiene and Public Health for Workers and the and education are major priorities and guidelines Public Exposed to Hazardous Dust). The 1984 targeted at both the general public and regulations cover the occupational and public professionals are available on the Hebrew website health aspects of the subject. They establish of the ministry. These include: information sheets to standards and safety procedures, set requirements the public on asbestos exposure, guidelines on safe for medical checkups, specify prohibited and procedures for dealing with asbestos containing permitted substances, and establish obligations for materials and products, guidelines on removal monitoring. The regulations set the occupational of asbestos-cement products, lists of contractors 3 standard for asbestos at 0.2 fibers/cm averaged and inspectors authorized to undertake asbestos- over an eight-hour period (TWA). While the related work and lists of accredited laboratories regulations restrict the import of asbestos and for asbestos testing. its byproducts into Israel, in practice, there has been no import of asbestos into the country for Training: Since 2001, the Ministry of the Environment, several years. by means of the National Center for Hazardous 26 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 Substances and Environmental Studies, and in for maintenance or removal, and measures to cooperation with the Ministry of Industry, Trade deal with the asbestos problem in the Western and Labor, has organized compulsory training Galilee. courses for asbestos contractors and inspectors and annual refresher days. The results are The release of carcinogenic asbestos fibers may impressive: in 2002, only 12 authorized inspectors be a handbreadth away from anyone, anywhere. operated throughout the country; by the end Simply put, there is no such thing as "safe" exposure of 2004, their number skyrocketed to 100. to asbestos. The Ministry of the Environment is therefore intent on spearheading a change, in There is no Permitting System: Since 2001, the number of cooperation with the Ministry of Health, Ministry permit requests for asbestos work has risen of Industry, Trade and Labor and local authorities. such thing significantly – from an average of 8 requests Despite limited funds, everything must be done as "safe" per month in 2002 to 48 per month in 2004. today in order to prevent a potential catastrophe The numbers are continuing to rise. In July tomorrow. exposure to 2005 alone, for example, 64 requests for asbestos asbestos work were submitted to the Ministry of the Environment. Each permit may relate to thousands of meters and dozens of structures – whether in a kibbutz or university. Moreover, since asbestos work requires a permit from the technical committee and only an authorized asbestos worker may carry out the work, special efforts have been invested in checking the accreditation and training requirements for contractors and bodies dealing with asbestos- containing material.

Enforcement: When necessary, carrot is accompanied by stick. In recent years, additional efforts have been invested in opening investigation files and filing indictments in order to make sure that violators of the law are prosecuted and that others comply with legal requirements of the law.

And What Now? Efforts are currently focusing on preparing a government action plan on asbestos treatment aimed at minimizing the asbestos hazard in Israel. The proposed action plan includes such measures as: completion of asbestos surveys in the Western Galilee, implementation of an epidemiological survey, allocation of a preliminary budget for the preparation and implementation of the action plan, establishment of an asbestos waste disposal site in the north of Israel, initiation of an asbestos survey in public institutions where asbestos is known to exist and establishment of guidelines 27 Treating life-threatening hotspots

TAMAR BAR-ON ON ASBESTOS Director, Asbestos Division

What is the Ministry of the define an occupational standard of 0.2 fibers/cm3 Environment doing to tackle averaged over an eight-hour period, in practice Improving the the asbestos problem in the standard in effect is 0.1 fibers/cm3. As far environment Israel? as an environmental standard is concerned, the and preserving open spaces One of the clauses in technical committee has established a guideline the 1984 regulations value of 1,400 fibers/m3 for ambient exposure to on asbestos states that asbestos. This is one of the most stringent guidelines asbestos work cannot be worldwide. Preventing undertaken without the marine and water pollution approval of the technical The Western Galilee is the most contaminated areas in and restoring committee on hazardous dust. We volunteered to Israel in terms of asbestos. What can be done to address rivers head this committee and today everyone knows this problem? that the Environment Ministry is the address for Four years ago we implemented an asbestos asbestos training, asbestos permits and asbestos survey in the Western Galilee in which we sampled guidelines. 53 sites and discovered areas laden with all types Treating life-threatening We have also invested resources to make of asbestos. We then issued "cleanup orders" to the hotspots information readily available to the public and relevant municipalities requiring them to treat the to professionals. We printed information sheets, most polluted sites. We also informed three local posted our guidelines on the internet, conducted authorities that it is their responsibility to clean up seminars, provided guidelines to local authorities all of the sites. Today, building in areas suspected Treating and the army, and organized lectures. Although municipal, emergencies such as fires continue in asbestos industrial and agricultural containing facilities, we have instituted a waste procedure that ensures that we will be informed about every event so as to provide guidelines to rescue services on what to do. I can definitely say that over the past three years Developing we brought about a virtual revolution in our tools for treatment of this problem. Today, more asbestos improving service and waste is disposed in a safe manner, there are professionalism many more trained contractors, inspectors and asbestos workers who operate according to strict guidelines, and institutions and factories have upgraded the subject in their multi-annual work plans. This is accompanied by a major increase in public awareness as is evidenced by the number of inquiries to the Ministry of the Environment and the number of hits to our website. I strongly believe that awareness is the key to progress.

How do our standards compare to asbestos standards around the world? Our occupational standard is identical to other Protective gear during asbestos work. Photo: Gerar Gal-Or standards in the world. Although our regulations 28 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 of asbestos contamination is and therefore economically difficult contingent on the performance to implement. It is very important of a survey and on clean up of the to establish an asbestos site in the area. north of the country. Secondly we have to find a Can we point to any positive developments solution to the problem of asbestos in addressing this issue in Israel? contamination in the Western Galilee. As I said before, awareness of both We need professional as well as decision makers and the public has budgetary resources to do this. risen dramatically and this is bringing Thirdly, it is essential to conduct an about improvements in the field. For epidemiological survey among example, a couple of years ago everyone who has contracted an the Tel Aviv branch of the Ministry asbestos-related disease. We have of the Environment mapped all of to identify who actually worked the educational institutes in Bat Yam with asbestos, who is related to an and Herzliya and presented a report asbestos worker, who came from on the condition of asbestos facilities abroad and who contracted the in these buildings. As a result, the disease without realizing that he/she municipality took the necessary were in contact with asbestos in action to correct the deficiencies. order to find out whether anyone Hopefully this pilot project will be got sick as a result of environmental followed by a comprehensive From top to bottom: School exposure. We must try to find out survey of educational institutions building. Photo: Shai Pe’er, today what awaits us 40 years from throughout the country. School building. Photo: now. Perhaps what we are doing Carol Avraham, Roof after In addition, special mention should removal. Photo: Avner now is too much, perhaps not be made of a huge, multi-million Barzilai enough. The results of the survey dollar army project to remove pical will give us a more accurate picture boards (with a 40% asbestos content). These of what to do. boards were often used in the army as bulletin Fourthly, we should map all of the country’s boards, in which thumbtacks were pinned. public institutions, whether schools, universities Recognition of the severity of the problem led or community centers, in order to identify the to a unique multi-annual project to remove condition of asbestos containing materials. Based these boards in accordance with stringent on the results, decisions can be taken on whether guidelines. Despite major budgetary cutbacks to maintain or remove these materials. in the country's defense budget, this project is And finally we need a new law. Our present law is continuing in full force. anachronistic since it has an occupational focus and gives inadequate attention to the environment. What else should be done to prevent exposure to asbestos Asbestos is no longer produced anywhere in Israel. fibers? What we need now is a mechanism for licensing, The most important thing is to establish a site for inspection and enforcement. Today we provide the disposal of friable asbestos waste. Today professional guidelines and instructions by issuing asbestos is disposed in landfills according to strict orders under a variety of different laws, but this conditions for containment and segregation. is not an optimal situation. A new law is sorely Yet these conditions are extremely expensive needed. 29 Treating municipal, industrial and agricultural waste

Asbestos Removal in the Israel Defense DID YOU KNOW? Force: A Unique Project • The etymology of the word A survey conducted in 1998 in army camps throughout asbestos may be traced back to Israel found some 10,000 square meters of pical the ancient Greek word meaning (asbestos) boards in Israel. These boards (containing "inextinguishable," in recognition of some 40% asbestos) are frequently used in army bases its fire-retardant properties. Improving the as wall partitions and bulletin boards. environment • Asbestos is the name given to a and preserving group of minerals that occur naturally Recognition of the significant risks associated with open spaces as bundles of fibers which can be these asbestos containing boards led to the drafting separated into thin threads. and implementation of an action plan for removal • The three most common types of of pical boards. With the cooperation of the Ministry asbestos are: a) chrysotile, or white Preventing of the Environment, a course for asbestos supervisors marine and asbestos; b) amosite, or brown was opened, procedures and guidelines for dealing water pollution asbestos; and c) crocidolite, or blue and restoring with asbestos were prepared, a work program was rivers asbestos. Chrysotile, a member of developed, and a project for the removal of pical the Serpentine mineral group, is the boards from all units was initiated in April 2002. commonest. • It is estimated that there are about Priorities for the safe removal of asbestos were based Treating 100 million square meters of asbestos life-threatening on the results of Recommended Technical Method cement in Israel. hotsports 2 for the determination of airborne asbestos fiber • Asbestos is a known carcinogen. concentrations (RTM2). Repopulation was only allowed Exposure to asbestos may increase when monitoring showed the elimination of airborne the risk of asbestosis, lung cancer, asbestos fibers. mesothelioma and other cancers. Treating municipal, • Mesothelioma is a relatively rare These efforts received special recognition within industrial and cancer of the inner lining of the chest agricultural the framework of a special ceremony in which the wall or abdominal cavity. Asbestos waste Minister of the Environment presented environmental exposure is the only known cause for awards to Israel Defense Force (IDF) units excelling in this form of cancer, which may go environmental projects and activities. In December undetected for more than 40 years. 2003, the Environment Minister presented a special Even short exposure to medium levels Developing certificate of merit to the Building Center of the IDF tools for of asbestos contamination may lead for initiating and implementing the asbestos removal improving to the disease. service and project in army units and bases throughout the • Based on current knowledge, intact professionalism country. and undisturbed asbestos cement products do not pose a health risk as The project is continuing. During its implementation long as they are not sawed, drilled, additional asbestos-containing boards were found, well A look at an scraped, sanded or handled in such beyond the original estimate of 10,000 square meters. amosite fiber a way as to cause the material to In fact, by June 2005, some 43,000 square meters of crumble and be released into the pical boards had been identified, of which some 12,915 air. square meters are in planning and approval stages • During the August 2005 disengagement, and 30,089 square meters are already approved for asbestos contractors dismantled some implementation. Of the latter, some 27,366 square 23,000 sq.m. of asbestos from Gaza Strip meters of asbestos boards have already been removed and North Samarian settlements. Some while the remainder (some 2,723 square meters) is 530 tons of asbestos cement were currently undergoing implementation or awaiting transferred to Israel for landfilling. contractors. 30 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 Cows in the Galilee. Photo: Ilan Malester

Dairy Farms Go Green

The greening of Israel’s dairy farms within years (1999-2004), the following was achieved: just a few years is a major achievement, • The total number of dairy farms was reduced by Teven by world standards 419 – from 1,453 to 1,034 – a 29% reduction. • National milk production increased by 26 million There are about 115,000 cows in Israel, producing liters – 2.5% - an addition equal to about 3,000 about 1.15 billion liters of milk per year – an average cows. of 10,500 liters of milk per cow. Yet while Israel's By the end cows yield one of the highest rates of milk in the A Major Achievement of 2006, all of world, they are major polluters of the environment. The reform project presented a golden opportunity It is estimated that one cow equals about 20 to upgrade environmental infrastructures in dairy Israel's dairy people in terms of potential water pollution by farms and to stop environmental pollution from farms will be organic material (BOD) generated per day. The this source. By the end of 2004, 97% of Israel’s environment pollution generated by some 350,000 heads of dairy farms had completed or were in the midst cattle in Israel, including both milk and beef of undertaking environmental improvements - friendly cows, equals the pollution generated by the from infrastructure for the prevention of pollutant entire human population of the country. Problems infiltration to prevention of manure, leachate and associated with dairy farms include soil and water sewage overflow. source contamination by nutrients, nitrates, brines, organic matter and pathogens as well as stench, Environmental improvement of Israel’s dairy farm flies and aesthetic degradation. sector is a major achievement, even by world standards. By the end of 2006, all of Israel’s dairy Dairy Farm Reform: 1999-2004 farms will be environment friendly, constituting In 1999, a reform package was initiated in the a model for a comprehensive solution to one of dairy sector, with the aim of encouraging dairy the most difficult problems associated with cattle producers to become larger, more competitive and raising in Israel. more efficient, on the one hand, and to prevent pollution, on the other hand. Within the framework of the reform, strict criteria were formulated for the environment-friendly operation of dairy farms, largely based on guidelines developed by the Ministry of the Environment. As part of the reform package, financial grants of 50% were provided for investments in infrastructure for the protection of the environment from cowshed wastes and leachates and 30% for investments in greater efficiency.

At the initiation of the reform project, there were 1,453 cowsheds in Israel. During the course of six 31 Preventing marine and water pollution and restoring rivers International Cooperation

Improving the An Interview With Paul Mifsud environment and preserving Coordinator, Mediterranean Action Plan open spaces Mr. Paul Mifsud visited Israel in mid-May, identified for mutual 2005, just one year after taking office as implementation. For Preventing MCoordinator of the Mediterranean Action example, the MED POL marine and Plan of UNEP. Mr. Mifsud kindly provided the component of MAP is water pollution and restoring following interview to Israel Environment very much involved in rivers Bulletin on May 18, 2005. the development of the European Marine Strategy. The intention is that Since coming into office a little more than a year ago, the MAP will be the implementing agency of one you made a point of meeting with different Contracting component of that strategy on the regional level, Treating Parties to the Barcelona Convention. What do you hope namely capacity building. A second initiative life-threatening to accomplish with these visits? hotspots relates to the development of a European There are different objectives. In some countries, Maritime Policy. A third initiative is the decision as in the case of Israel, the objective is to hasten to hold the next meeting of the MAP Focal Points ratification of the new Barcelona Convention and in September back to back with the Focal Points Treating the amended Land-Based Sources Protocol. In of SMAP (the EU’s Short and Medium-Term Priority municipal, others, such as Tunisia, the intention is to review Environmental Action Program under the Euro- industrial and the activities of the Regional Activity Center for agricultural Mediterranean Partnership). waste Specially Protected Areas. In the case of the European Community, the intent is to send a clear This year marks the 30th anniversary of the MAP. What signal that we want to work more closely with the is your vision for the MAP? EC. At the end of the day, my main objective is, MAP has achieved a great deal over the years Developing of course, to promote closer working relationships in terms of policy development and program tools for with all of the Contracting Parties. development, but we suffer from a lack of improving visibility. I think it’s about time that we promote service and professionalism What is the agenda for closer working relationships with ourselves. The higher our profile, the greater will the European Community? be our credibility and support. In fact, one of the Now that we have seven European Community first things I did upon coming into office was to countries that are also members of the Barcelona upgrade the MAP website. Convention, it is my wish to chart a course on how to work together positively. Each of us It is now important to chart the future course of the brings something valuable to the table. The MAP, to help countries to implement the different EC has enormous resources; MAP has major programs. High on the priority list is the promotion credibility in the region, especially in the southern of the National Action Plans for reducing land- Mediterranean countries. The EC has developed based pollution within the framework of SAP (the Neighborhood Policies on the bilateral level; MAP Strategic Action Program). We are planning to has both the credibility and the right mechanisms do this with the financial support of the Global to implement regional initiatives. Environment Facility (GEF), which is offering to There are a number of initiatives that we have cooperate in two components: technical and 32 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 capacity building. Workshop on Environmental Policy Integration and SMAP III I attribute special importance to the adoption A Workshop on Environmental Policy Integration and SMAP III was held in Israel on of the new sustainable development strategy May 25-26,2005. Its aim: to promote a dialogue between Israeli and European experts and hope to get a mandate from the on mechanisms through which sustainable development goals can be promoted Contracting Parties for its implementation. We, and integrated in different policy areas including agriculture, transportation, industry, of course, will be there to facilitate and help, energy and coastal zone management. but at the end of the day, implementation has to be on the ground in the countries at The workshop included discussions and lectures and emphasized case studies national level. and good practices for sound environmental management which were meant to promote interdisciplinary cooperation. We take our mandate from the Contracting Parties. The idea is to plan a future road map, Participants included representatives of the European Union, European Environment to plot our future course, so that we can Agency (EEA), Mediterranean Action Plan (MAP), Italian Agency for the Protection address challenges in a sustainable way. of the Environment and for Technical Services (APAT) and Finnish Environmental I have many dreams but there’s nothing Institute (SYKE). wrong with dreaming. All good things start with a dream. Israel Ratifies Amendment to Barcelona Convention What are your impressions of Israel's efforts to On August 15, 2005, the Israel cabinet resolved to ratify the amendment of 1995 protect its marine and coastal environment? to the Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea Against Pollution I have a very high opinion of the professionals (the Barcelona Convention). The amendment to the Convention, which relates that I have met in Israel and of Israel’s to such aspects as sustainable development, biodiversity conservation, pollution representatives and Focal Points to the prevention and greater cooperation among Contracting Parties, entered into MAP. They take an active part in meetings force in 2004. and are significant contributors to different programs. TA-Luft Workshop in Israel I am fully convinced of Israel’s commitment The Environment Ministry's policy on air pollution emissions from industrial sources to the environment and of its positive is largely based on Germany's technical instructions on air quality control, known approach to environmental issues as can as TA Luft 1986. Yet Germany revised these guidelines in 2002. The new instructions be seen by the newly enacted Coastal Law. set new and more stringent emissions values and updated emission limits which Moreover, I am especially impressed by the correspond to the state of the art (use of best available techniques). cooperation that I have witnessed between government authorities and NGOs. The fact In Israel, TA Luft 1986 emission limits were incorporated into the appendix of a that the Environment Ministry invited NGO Covenant on Implementing Standards on Pollutant Emissions into the Air, signed representatives to meet with me is a very by the Environment Ministry and the Manufacturers Association of Israel in 1998. positive step. The level of cooperation and Industries signing this Covenant are required to abide by emission limits which are the influence of NGOs on coastal issues in incorporated into their business licenses under the Licensing of Businesses Law or Israel are especially impressive. personal decrees (administrative directives for pollution reduction) issued under the Abatement of Nuisances Law. We would now like to find ways to involve A three-day workshop, organized by the Manufacturers Association of Israel, the more Israeli professionals in the MAP and to Israel Union for Environmental Defense (an NGO) and the Ministry of the Environment, find ways and means of organizing meetings was held in Israel in July 2005. Its intent: to increase knowledge about Germany's in Israel. With good will, I believe we can updated technical instructions on air quality control as a first step toward their achieve positive results, both within the adoption in Israel. framework of the MAP and on the regional level. I believe that all big things start small The German delegation, which included representatives of the Federal Environmental and I am keen to help support some of the Agency of Germany and the Ministry of the Environment of the State of North Rhine- positive developments that are beginning Westphalia, presented the principles of the German approach on the prevention to emerge in this region. of air pollution from industry and related to the legal and environmental grounds for amending the guidelines and to the main emission control requirements of the TA Luft 2002. The Israeli participants, on their part, presented different aspects of air pollution prevention and treatment in Israel. 33 The World of Communication. Photo: Alex Kaplan

Cellular Antennas: Toward Greater Transparency

Israelis are major users of cell phones, but are To protect human health and the environment, the up in arms about potential radiation from the Ministry of the Environment has established two I base stations which support them thresholds for exposure to non-ionizing radiation: a health threshold based on the recommendations It is estimated that the number of cell phones in of the International Commission for Non-Ionizing use in Israel equals the number of people living Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) which advises the in the country. Since cell phones cannot work World Health Organization, and an environmental without an antenna, mobile phone operators threshold, whose value is 10% of the health must establish a network of base stations to threshold. cover specific geographic areas.

Moreover, since base stations are limited in the number of calls they can handle at one time, additional base stations must be built to meet growing demand for mobile phones. At present, some 6,700 cellular base stations (antenna clusters), erected by Israel's four cellular phone operators, support these phones. 34 ISRAEL ENVIRONMENT BULLETIN vol 29 The environmental threshold is based on the precautionary principle which calls for reaching the lowest possible radiation levels using available technology at reasonable cost. In effect, the environmental threshold is meant to balance two interests: the interest of using radiation sources for public benefit and the interest of not harming (either in terms of health or finance) residents or people in the vicinity of radiation sources.

While just about everyone in Israel has a cell phone, people are increasingly concerned about the growing number of antennas erected Photo: Alex Kaplan in their neighborhoods. Therefore, in keeping with its policy of transparency and access to information, the Ministry of the Environment Radiation Exposure Thresholds in Israel provides information to the general public and to professionals alike by means of its website, The health threshold for exposure to non-ionizing brochures and information sheets. radiation defines the exposure level assuring that health damage will not be caused. This Transparency The ministry’s Hebrew website provides information, by threshold is based on known adverse impacts, of information means of an interactive map, on the location and safety especially to the most sensitive populations standards of operating base stations (http://gis.sviva.gov. such as children, the ailing or the elderly. The on radiation il) throughout the country. The map, in Hebrew, allows health standard established by the Ministry from cellular anyone, anywhere, to access information on base stations of the Environment is based on ICNIRP in their area of residence including information on: the recommendations. The health threshold antennas is cellular operator, type of base station, exact location, relates to acute (short term) exposure. a priority date of erection permit, date of operational permit, date of last measurement, radiation intensity (in microwatts per The environmental threshold for exposure to non- centimeter), percent of the health standard established ionizing radiation, set by the Ministry of the by the World Health Organization, and even a photograph Environment, takes account of the health of the type of base station. threshold, the possibility of additional risks, the expectations of Israeli society for protection In recent months, in order to make information from these risks, and the ability of Israeli society on planned cell sites available to the public prior to finance measures for risk reduction. The to their erection, the Ministry of the Environment environmental threshold relates to chronic, has begun to provide information on those base continuous and prolonged exposure. stations scheduled for erection on the following In areas where exposure is not continuous month. The information includes details on the and prolonged, such as roofs, yards, sidewalks, location of planned cell sites and the date that parks and other such areas, the Environment the operational permit was granted. Ministry does not approve the erection of facilities which may temporarily expose people to non-ionizing radiation levels which exceed 30% of the health threshold.

35 Nahariya coast. photo: Ilan Malester