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Israel Raids Palestinian Charcoal Plants over Pollution

(Times of Israel) Sue Surkes - For the first time, Israel on Thursday enforced environmental regulations against Palestinian charcoal plants that cause clouds of polluting smoke to waft over Jewish and Palestinian communities in the northern West Bank. The plants create charcoal by the slow burning of piles of wood surrounded by wet straw and soil. The process causes massive amounts of smoke, pollution and strong smells, and is linked to respiratory problems suffered by 25% of the children in the Palestinian town of Ya'bad, west of Jenin, and respiratory illnesses including cancer suffered by 70% of charcoal workers. Israeli officials said they were taking action after having issued several warnings to the Palestinian Authority that it would enforce anti-pollution regulations if the authority failed to shut the plants down, Israel Radio reported. Maj.-Gen. Yoav Mordechai of the Civil Administration said, "We intend to open a dialogue with the charcoal producers to find technological solutions to lower the risks of charcoal production for workers and residents."
2016-11-18 00:00:00
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