Breathing clean air
w w w. s v i v a . g o v. i l
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Ministry of Environmental Protection
2010
General Overview
The Ministry of Environmental Protection is responsible for
the prevention of air pollution, including emissions from
transportation sources, electricity production and industry –
which are the principal sources of air pollution in Israel.
The Ministry is also in charge of implementing international
conventions – the Climate Change Convention and the
Kyoto Protocol – which deal with reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and their global impacts.
Conditions in Israel, such as population density, rising
standards of living and unique meteorological conditions,
give rise to severe pollution problems in population centers
and high levels of airborne pollution in areas far from
emission sources.
Air pollution is a significant factor in increased morbidity
and mortality, primarily among sensitive population groups
such as children, the elderly and the ill. Air pollution also
has negative impacts on vegetation and agriculture, water
quality and preservation of historic buildings.
Power plants, industrial plants and vehicle fleets use energy which is produced by
different fuel combustion processes. Large quantities of pollutants are emitted to
the atmosphere during these processes: respirable particulates made of soot and
unburned fuel residues, nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides and hydrocarbons. In addition,
reactions between these pollutants create new pollutants, such as ozone.
Sources of air pollution in Israel*
Emission of pollutants by sectors
Nitrogen oxides – NOx
Carbon monoxide – CO
38%
9%
28%
Suspended particulate matter – SPM
1%
62%
11%
51%
5% 1%
Carbon dioxide – CO2
Domestic and commercial use
94%
Sulfur oxides – SOx
11%
Ground transportation
Industry
Electricity production
*Data: Israel Central Bureau of Statistics 2008
23%
63%
3%
25%
0.3% 0.3%
74.4%
Ministry
of Environmental Protection
Responsibility • Authority • Action
The Ministry of Environmental Protection is working toward the abatement and
prevention of air pollution from different emission sources:
electricity production, transportation and industry
through:
legislation
and
regulation
supervision
and
enforcement
economic
tools
Abatement of air pollution from electric power production
• Improving the decision-making process on
electricity production
• Creating economic incentives for preferring
clean technologies and fuels – the Ministry is
working to incorporate the costs of health damages
(external costs) caused by the operation of power
stations in government decision-making processes
on development programs for the electricity sector.
Inclusion of these costs, as well as the costs of
constructing and operating the power stations, within
the framework of the government’s considerations,
will create a balance between the various needs of
society.
• Legislation – the Ministry is working toward expanding
the use of lower pollutant fuels, such as natural gas
or low-sulfur liquid and solid (coal) fuels, and toward
expanding the use of technologies specifically aimed
at preventing pollution.
• Requiring the Israel Electric Corporation to
install pollution abatement means in coal power
stations:
The installation of facilities in power stations for the
abatement of sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides and
particulate emission, leading to a reduction of tens of
percents in the air pollution emitted by the stations, will
be completed within the framework of the multi-year
plan ending in 2016. The cost of installing the pollution
abatement means was estimated by the Ministry of
National Infrastructures at $1.4 billion. At the same time,
it should be noted that the benefit ensuing to Israel’s
economy, which is calculated in accordance with the
external costs of air pollution, is estimated at $2.1-2.7
billion.
• Determining standards for preventing pollution
from power stations, based on European
standards
In 2009, the Ministry completed a set of regulations for
preventing and supervising air pollution from power
stations. Following approval of these regulations by the
Knesset (parliament), all of Israel’s power stations will be
required to comply with the most advanced European
standards.
• Promoting incentives and
producers of clean electricity
premiums
for
Producers of “clean” electricity (renewable energy, such
as solar energy, wind energy, water energy, biogas) are
eligible for a premium or a higher tariff than authorized
for producers of electricity generated from fossil fuels
(non-renewable fuel sources, such as petroleum and
coal), which damage health, the environment and the
economy (external costs). This reflects a preference for
energy production from clean sources and reduction of
harm to health and to the environment.
Ministry
of Environmental Protection
Responsibility • Authority • Action
• Energy conservation and renewable energy use
These measures have a very high potential, which has
not yet been exploited. Accordingly, the Ministry is taking
steps to promote energy conservation and the use of
renewable energy and to bring about investment of
resources for their development in various frameworks,
such as the government, the Knesset, etc.
• Ongoing monitoring of the
impacts of power stations
environmental
The Israel Electric Corporation and the associations of
towns around power stations operate an air monitoring
station network, which measures the pollution level in the
vicinity of the stations. In addition, monitoring meters are
Applying the “polluter pays” principle
The concept of “external impacts” originates in the
science of economics; it describes costs or benefits
generated when the performer of a certain activity does
not take them into account when pricing the activity.
For example: every kilometer we travel in our cars causes
added air pollution which gives rise to morbidity. If the
cost of morbidity (reflected in costs of hospitalization,
loss of working days, etc.) is not paid by the drivers
who cause the pollution, this cost is considered an
external cost. Similarly, costs incurred by the use of
electricity, where payment for the electricity does not
include the pollution damage caused by its generation,
are considered external costs.
In 2009, the Ministry updated its valuation of the external
costs of air pollutants from electricity production (costs
which reflect the price paid by Israel’s economy as a
result of air pollution damages).
installed in the stacks of the power stations and provide
ongoing monitoring of emitted pollutant concentrations.
Inspectors from the town associations and the Ministry
continuously supervise the data obtained from the
monitoring instruments and ensure the compliance of
the power stations with the required standards.
• Examination of pollution prevention means in
the planning process for new power stations
Planned power stations are rigorously examined, in the
planning stage, to ensure that they will implement the
best means of pollution abatement and will not cause
health and environmental hazards.
External cost of emission of 1 ton of
pollutant in Israel
Pollutant
€ / ton
Sulfur dioxide
(SO2)
4,947
Nitrogen oxides
(NOx)
2,865
Particulate matter
(PM10)
7,061
Carbon dioxide
(CO2)
14.83
Abatement of Air Pollution from Transportation
Pollutants emitted by vehicles are the principal
cause of air pollution in city centers.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection
estimates that more than 1,000 people die
prematurely each year as a result of air pollution
damages in Greater Tel Aviv alone – several times
more than the number of road accident fatalities.
• Supervision and control of the vehicle’s working
order
• Abatement of air pollution from old vehicles
Old vehicles emit very large quantities of pollution as a
result of outdated technology and high levels of wear.
The Ministry is promoting a program to take old vehicles
off the road and send them for recycling. Vehicle owners
will receive monetary compensation for scrapping their
vehicles.
• Improving
transport
the
characteristics
of
fuel
for
In recent years, the quality of Israel’s fuel has been
improved to correspond to European standards. The
addition of lead, a toxic pollutant, to fuel is prohibited
and sulfur levels in fuel have been reduced by tens of
percents. These improvements enable the import of
modern vehicles which comply with the most stringent
European standards and the reduction of pollutant
emissions from transportation.
• Annual vehicle licensing test – in recent years, the
pollution testing method used in the annual licensing
test was adapted to the European method. The
Ministry intends to further change the inspection
values used in the test to the minimum possible level
for each vehicle model.
• Roadside enforcement – the Ministry checks more
than 20,000 vehicles per year by means of special
mobile enforcement units. Vehicles in poor working
order are sent for repair and their owners are fined.
Some of the mobile units are operated in cooperation
with local authorities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan,
Holon, Petach Tikva and Kfar Saba.
• Pollution abatement from transportation in city
centers
The vehicle taxation level has been adapted to the
pollution level emitted from the vehicle. Today, “cleaner”
vehicles pay less tax. In addition, since November 2009,
the Ministry requires vehicle manufacturers to publish air
pollution and fuel consumption data for their imported
vehicles.
The Ministry has required all gas stations located near
residential neighborhoods to install systems which
prevent the emission of fuel vapors into the air, thus
reducing human exposure to the toxic and carcinogenic
substances in fuel vapors.
• Encouraging the purchase of “clean” vehicles –
“green” taxation
The Ministry is focusing efforts on cities with high air
pollution levels. From the end of 2009, the Ministry
has begun to exercise new powers and to require local
authorities to prepare and implement programs for the
abatement of air pollution from transportation.
• Reducing emissions of toxic and carcinogenic
substances from gas stations
Ministry
of Environmental Protection
Responsibility • Authority • Action
Abatement of Air Pollution from Industry
• Establishing work procedures which require
industry to comply with the most advanced
European standards
The Ministry’s air quality policy, which was integrated into
the Clean Air Law, 5768-2008, is based on the principles
of the EC IPPC Directive. Every industrial plant with a
potential for high air pollution (Israel has approximately
120 such plants) is required to implement the best
available technology (BAT) and the best possible means
for minimization of its pollutant emissions. These plants
will be required to obtain a special emission permit which
will regulate the manner of their operation, emission
monitoring and control, pollution abatement facilities,
and the like. The process of obtaining the permit will be
transparent, enabling all stakeholders to examine the
impact of the plant on the environment and the pollution
abatement measures to be adopted by the plant.
• Reducing air pollutant emissions from mediumsized and small businesses
Although these businesses have lesser impact on the
environment, they are likely to cause local air pollution
hazards which affect nearby residents. These plants are
subject to sector-wide rules imposed by the Air Quality
and Climate Change Division on various industrial
sectors, based on advanced requirements in the
developed world. These rules constitute prerequisites
for the business license, and compliance is supervised
by the Ministry and the local authorities.
• Creating an updated inventory of industrial
emission levels
This inventory enables supervision of plant compliance
with standards and facilitates the characterization of
emissions by type of pollutant, geographical area and
industrial sector. The inventory is also important as a tool
for setting policy and for its implementation and update.
The Division is taking steps to make the emissions
inventory available to the general public, in order to
provide the population with accessible information on
pollution emitted from plants.
• Standardization and standard setting
In order to provide for more efficient plant supervision
and enforcement, the Ministry is working towards the
establishment of binding procedures and standards for
monitoring, sampling and reporting.
• Concentrating efforts on air pollution impacted
areas
Focused treatment, with short timetables, will be
targeted at plants with high air pollution potential in
industrial areas. In 2008-2009, updated personal decrees
and business license conditions were completed for
industrial plants in the Haifa Bay and Ramat Hovav
areas, and their compliance with air quality requirements
was monitored. A similar process is now being carried
out for the Ashdod industrial zone.
• Supervising industrial plants by spot checks in
stacks
Since 2000, the Ministry has performed unannounced
spot checks in industrial plant stacks. Each year,
approximately 50 plants are sampled. In plants in
which deviations from emissions standards are found,
enforcement and monitoring procedures are carried
out until all steps necessary to reduce air pollutant
emission and comply with emissions standards have
been completed. This complements the obligation of
industrial plants to monitor and report the pollution level
emitted from their stacks.
Abatement of Greenhouse Gas Emissions
for coping with climate change
Abatement of greenhouse gas emissions in Israel
Three principal stages:
Mapping the abatement potential
Setting a national abatement goal
Action Plan
Mapping
• Mapping Israel’s existing
greenhouse gas abatement
potential
for
• The greenhouse gas emission forecast under
the “business as usual” scenario (based on the
continuation of existing national policy) indicates a
significant increase in emissions in Israel, compared
to European countries.
• The Ministry is examining measures such as switching
from coal to natural gas, promoting renewable
energies, conserving and saving on energy, reducing
kilometers travelled by private cars , using “clean”
vehicles, advancing “green,” climate conscious
building, and so forth.
Setting a national abatement goal
• Studies conducted in recent years to review Israel’s
greenhouse gas emission abatement potential show
that 32% of the total emissions forecast for 2030 may
be reduced by implementing the technical measures
defined and reviewed in the studies.
• At a meeting of the parties to the Climate Change
Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, which took place
in Copenhagen in December 2009, Israel’s President
declared that Israel intends to make best efforts to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020,
compared to the “business as usual” scenario.
Action plan
• The government resolution on the formulation of a
national action plan for greenhouse gas emission
mitigation called for the appointment of a steering
committee to recommend the necessary policy measures
for greenhouse gas abatement. The program will specify
the entire set of steps required for its implementation,
including regulation, removal of barriers, economic
incentives, and so forth.
• The Committee will examine the economic implications
of emissions abatement on Israel’s economy and will
propose the most effective policy tools for achieving a
20% abatement in the total emissions forecast for 2020
(according to the “business as usual” scenario).
Global Warming
Solar radiation which hits the Earth is returned to space
as heat energy. Various gases, such as water vapor and
carbon dioxide, absorb some of this energy and do
not enable it to “escape” into space. In this way, these
gases maintain a higher temperature in the atmospheric
layer which surrounds the earth – a temperature which
is compatible for life on our planet.
This phenomenon is known as the greenhouse effect. In
recent years, due to human activity which involves the
burning of fossil fuels and deforestation, larger quantities
of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere;
other gases, such as methane, are also emitted in large
quantities, due to agricultural production and landfilling of
waste. All these gases trap the radiation on its way from
Earth to space. When the energy emitted from the Earth
is reduced, the temperature on the surface increases and
the atmosphere which envelops us heats up.
The increase in greenhouse gases causes climate
change throughout the world, thereby giving rise to
severe phenomena:
•Drying up of water sources
•Harm to ecological systems and living creatures
•Desertification and damage to agriculture
•Extreme weather events, such as destructive floods
and storms
•Melting icebergs and rising oceans, which threaten to
flood coastal cities worldwide
Registration and reporting
• Capacity building in industry, in preparation for
mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions –
in 2010, a pilot program for a voluntary system for
accounting for and reporting greenhouse gas emissions
was launched. Each company/organization which joins
this registry will report to the public on its greenhouse
gas emissions once a year. The reporting system offers
the registered companies a tool for risk management,
identification of opportunities for increased efficiency,
and greenhouse gas emission abatement. Joining the
registry will prepare industry for future commitments to
emission abatement and will enable it to participate in
international greenhouse gas emission trading markets.
• National report to the UN on climate change in Israel –
a second comprehensive report will be submitted to the
UN which includes information on Israel’s greenhouse
gas emissions inventory, information on the country’s
special circumstances, and presentation of its climate
change policy.
Ministry
of Environmental Protection
Responsibility • Authority • Action
Clean Air Law, 5768-2008
This law, which will enter into force in January 2011, will
place Israel on a par with developed countries. The aim of
the law is “to improve air quality by preventing and reducing
air pollution. This will be achieved, inter alia, by establishing
prohibitions and obligations according to the precautionary
principle, in order to protect human life, health and quality
of life as well as to protect the environment, including
natural resources, ecological systems and biodiversity, for
the public and for future generations and in consideration
of their needs.”
Main provisions of the law:
•Regulating the treatment of different air pollution
factors within a single legal framework
For the first time, the authority of the Ministry of
Environmental Protection as the leading entity in preventing
air pollution hazards will be anchored.
•Preparation of a national program
The law establishes the obligation to prepare a national
program, led by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
The objectives of the program are implementation of
government-wide action on air pollution abatement and
a review of the potential of present policy to comply with
the environmental standards.
•Setting air quality values (environmental standards)
The law defines various types of environmental standards
which are established on the basis of different considerations:
protection of health, implementation capacity and public
alert during pollution events. These standards will serve
as guidelines for ministerial policy, for granting permits
and for reviewing plans.
•Requiring plants with a potential for high air pollution
to obtain emission permits as a prerequisite for
continued activity
The emission permit will be based on the use of the best
available techniques for maximum emission abatement
which are economically and technologically achievable.
•Establishing economic incentives for reduction of
emissions into the atmosphere
The Minister of Environmental Protection is authorized to
establish a levy on the emission of substances into the
air and to determine situations in which a plant which
has significantly reduced its pollutant emissions, beyond
the requirement, will be economically rewarded.
•Expanding the powers vested in the Ministry on air
pollution emission from mobile sources
Setting emissions standards for new vehicles; emission
standards and testing methods for pollutant emissions
from vehicles during the annual licensing test; requirements
for fuel and fuel additive quality; and obligations imposed
on vehicle importers to publish the emission and fuel
consumption data of the vehicles they import.
•Implementation of stringent and deterrent means of
enforcement against violators who endanger human
health
The law imposes personal liability on the managers of
plants and grants the Ministry powers to impose heavy
fines and imprisonment terms (up to three years) on
violators of the law, and to impose financial sanctions of
hundreds of thousands of New Israeli Shekels on plants
which do not comply with the provisions of the law.
•Expanding the supervision and enforcement powers
of the Ministry of Environmental Protection
Stopping polluting vehicles and prohibiting their use until
defects are repaired; entering any site which is likely to
cause air pollution, examining the pollution within and
investigating the activity carried out at the site which
is likely to cause pollution; and prohibiting the use of a
facility which does not comply with the requirements of
the law.
•Transparency and public participation
Publishing information including: emissions from stacks
and results of air quality surveys; publication of the
required conditions from plants which are incorporated
in permits, personal orders and business licenses. The
grant of an emission permit to a plant will be subject to
public participation, and the public will be afforded an
opportunity to obtain information and make comments.
Monitoring Air Quality
The air monitoring system operated by the Ministry of
Environmental Protection monitors air quality in Israel, issues
warnings in the event of air pollution, and coordinates an important
database for planning, enforcement and research purposes.
The Ministry of Environmental Protection publishes up-to-date air
quality data on the Ministry’s website and in the media.
Principal activities of the air monitoring system:
• Continuous measurement of air pollutant levels
in city centers and different areas of Israel
The Ministry operates 25 monitoring stations which
continuously measure pollution levels and transfer these
data in real time to the National Monitoring Center. The
monitoring data are routinely published on the Ministry’s
Hebrew website, on additional websites and in the media.
These data enable the Ministry to monitor air pollution
trends, to locate hotspots and sources of pollution, and
to review the efficacy of pollution abatement measures.
• Setting air quality standards
The Ministry is responsible for setting air quality
standards, which are primarily intended to protect
human health and the environment. These values define
the highest permitted pollution level in the environment
and are based on international standards, such as
recommendations of the World Health Organization. The
Clean Air Law determines that current standards will be
updated by 2010 and every five years thereafter.
Permanent
monitoring
station
• Identification of hotspots of pollution
Analysis of the information obtained from the monitoring
stations enables identification of pollution hotspots.
One example is ozone. Data from monitoring stations
in areas such as Karmiel and Gush Etzion have
indicated an increasingly acute problem of high ozone
concentrations in Israel’s inland areas, and especially in
rural areas. The source of these ozone concentrations is
pollution primarily emitted from the coastal plain which
is airborne to these inland areas. Chemical reactions of
these pollutants in the presence of solar radiation cause
the formation of ozone.
• Identification of methods for treating pollution
hotspots
The information obtained from the transportation
monitoring stations has raised the problem of the severe
air pollution caused by transportation in city centers. As
a direct result, the Ministry prepared a national program
for the reduction of vehicular air pollution and is taking
action at both national and local levels, in collaboration
with local authorities.
• Alerting sensitive population groups about
severe pollution events
On days when the air pollution is severe, the Ministry
publishes alerts to the public and action guidelines to
reduce exposure to the hazard.
• Air pollution forecasting
Mobile monitoring station
The Ministry, with the cooperation of Israeli and foreign
companies, developed models which enable 36-hour air
pollution forecasts as well as forecasts of the potential
air pollution which could be caused by planned projects.
The air resource management system provides more
comprehensive information on air pollution in Israel
and enables evaluation of the efficacy of the various
pollution abatement means and their impact on future
pollution levels.
It’s in your hands:
the power to change
Actions which can and should be taken: Changes in driving habits
We can contribute to preventing air pollution by changing
the way we perform some of our day-to-day actions. Every
drop of fuel saved by changing our vehicle maintenance and
electricity consumption habits cuts our expenses and reduces
the pollution emitted into the air.
Changing habits
Choosing a car
• Carpool – sharing cars when going to work or on trips
reduces the load on roads, abates air pollution, saves
money and reinforces social contacts. Check out the
“EasyRider” ride-share website and “Tramp,” the Israeli
hitchhikers’ website.
• Use bicycles – bike rides in town are often faster than
four-wheeled vehicles.
• Avoid unnecessary travel.
• Prefer walking or cycling – for short distances, these
methods are better. Short trips in cars with cold engines
cause high levels of air pollution and increased use of
fuel.
• Prefer public transportation – at least once a week, try
to leave the car at home and take a bus, cycle or walk
instead.
(Environment-) Friendly driving
• Check and compare the fuel consumption and pollutant
emissions of different cars before you buy a new car.
Each type of car has a “green score” which reflects its
pollutant emission level and fuel consumption. Prefer
cars with the lowest possible green score.
• Try to drive at constant speed and avoid unnecessary
acceleration – sudden acceleration of your car increases
pollutant emissions and can raise fuel consumption by
25%.
• Don’t stay in low gear too long – it’s better to switch
gears and avoid unnecessary strain on the engine, even
in cars with automatic transmission. Traveling in a higher
gear and a lower engine speed lowers fuel consumption
and emission levels.
• 80-90 km/h on interurban roads is the speed
which saves the most fuel – at higher speeds, fuel
consumption increases and the increased strain on
the engine increases the emission of pollutants. When
traveling at speeds over 90 km/h, every 10 km/h raises
fuel consumption by about 10% and increases pollutant
emissions accordingly.
• Turn the engine off when the car is not traveling.
• Avoid overloading the car – cargo which is heavier
than the permitted weight is prohibited by law. Every
extra 100 kg of cargo raises fuel consumption by 1-3%
and increases pollutant emissions into the air. Therefore,
make sure the trunk does not contain unnecessary
equipment which unnecessarily raises fuel consumption.
Fueling
• Don’t “top off” the tank after the pump shuts off –
over-filling the tank with more fuel than necessary is
likely to waste fuel and to unnecessarily expose us
to fuel vapors, which contain toxic and carcinogenic
substances.
• Make sure to check the gas tank cover – the cover
must be tightly closed.
• Monitor your car’s fuel consumption – a fuel
consumption rate that is higher than usual may indicate
a problem.
• Avoid adding unfamiliar additives to fuel or motor oil –
the wrong additive is likely to cause the engine to react
undesirably and to increase pollution.
• Give your car the servicing it needs – the environment
needs it, too.
• Make sure your car gets regular maintenance
according to the manufacturer’s instructions – timely,
periodic servicing, oil and filter changes, adjustment of
engine systems (ignition and injection) contribute to
improving vehicle performance, to savings on fuel and
to reduction of pollutant emissions from the vehicle.
• Be aware of changes in engine operation – sudden
noise, odor or visible smoke (black, gray or white) is
likely to indicate a malfunction in the car. Most such
malfunctions are accompanied by increased emission
of pollutants into the atmosphere. In these situations, it
is important to have your car checked at the garage.
• Make sure to keep your tires inflated according to
the manufacturer’s instructions – air pressure lower
than recommended shortens the life of the tires and
increases fuel consumption and pollutant emission.
It’s in your hands:
the power to change
Actions which can and should be taken:
Changes in electricity consumption habits
Please turn off!
• Turn off the light when you leave the room.
• Turn off electrical appliances which are not in use.
• Buy efficient electrical appliances with a high energy
rating – and avoid causing the emission of thousands of
tons of air pollutants and greenhouse gases per year.
Use electrical appliances wisely
• Run the washing machine and the dishwasher only
when full.
• Use the sun and wind to dry laundry.
• Don’t boil a kettleful of water to make one cup of tea.
Change the light bulbs you use
Replacing one ordinary incandescent bulb with an energysaving bulb will reduce air pollutant emissions as follows:
sulfur dioxide – about 450 g/year; nitrogen oxides – about
450 g/year; particulates – about 16 g/year; carbon dioxide –
about 163 kg/year.
Adjust the thermostat on your air conditioner
Setting the air conditioner two degrees cooler in winter and
two degrees warmer in summer will reduce air pollutant
emissions as follows: sulfur dioxide – about 416 g/year;
nitrogen oxides – about 416 g/year; particulates – about
15.3 g/year; carbon dioxide – about 170 kg/year.
Prefer air conditioners for heating
Heating the house with an air conditioner is more efficient
and energy-saving than using a heat convector or an
electric oil heater. Other heating devices use three times as
much electric power as air conditioners to heat the house
to the desired temperature.
Curtains
Block direct solar radiation in the summer by drawing the
curtains throughout the day; open them at night to cool the
house.
Install ceiling fans
The fans will increase ventilation and will enhance the
operation of the air conditioner.
Use less hot water – don’t leave the electric water heater
on too long
Every hour of operation of an electric water heater causes
the emission of 5 g sulfur dioxide, 5 g nitrogen oxides, 0.2
g particulates and 2 kg carbon dioxide. Saving one hour of
operation of an electric water heater on days when solar
heaters cannot be used will reduce air pollutant emissions
as follows: sulfur dioxide – about 750 g/year; nitrogen
oxides – about 750 g/year; particulates – about 26 g/year;
carbon dioxide – about 300 kg/year.
Plant a tree
Each tree adsorbs one ton of carbon dioxide during its
lifetime.
By taking these actions, you will prevent the emission
of thousands of tons per year of air pollutants which
harm your health and your environment and of carbon
dioxide – one of the greenhouse gases that contributes
to global warming.
Last but not least – persuade your friends
Explain, advise and encourage them to do as you do.
Contact information
Air quality data on the Ministry’s Hebrew website: Home > Air quality data
Air Quality and Climate Change Division: Ministry of Environmental Protection, 5 Kanfei
Nesharim Street, POB 34033, 95464 Jerusalem. Tel.: 02-6553773/778 Fax: 02-6553763
National Air Monitoring System: Ministry of Environmental Protection, Government
Compound, 125 Menahem Begin Road, POB 7223, 61071 Tel Aviv. Tel.: 03-7634500 Fax:
03-7634501
Ministry of Environmental Protection Website: Home > Addresses and telephone numbers >
Air Quality Division
www.sviva.gov.il