One of the worst ecological disasters in Israel - tar is released from the sea on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea

The Minister of Environmental Protection, Gila Gamliel, in assessing the situation with the heads of the coastal authorities: "This is an event of a magnitude that we have not seen in years. We are doing everything to find the person responsible for the destruction of the beaches and the humane harm to the animals" * It is estimated that this is waste that was ejected from a tanker during the storm that hit the area in the middle of the past week

Beginning on Wednesday in the morning, along the stretch of the Mediterranean coast in Israel - from the beaches of Mata Asher in the north to the beaches of Bat Yam and Rishon Lezion, and later also on the beaches of Nitzanim and Ashashdod, many landings of lumps of fresh tar were discovered. It is estimated that there is still tar in the sea and it continues to land on the beaches. During the weekend, the bodies of animals were discovered, including sea turtles, as well as a baby dolphin.

All the coastal local authorities received from the Ministry of Environmental Protection a directive to implement the local emergency plans and to prepare for cleanup when the storm subsides. The people of the national unit for the protection of the marine environment are in the field and in direct contact with the local authorities and the factories along the beaches and the Nature and Parks Authority.

According to the type of tar and its texture, it is estimated that it is an emission of oils or petroleum from a sailing vessel that passed off the coast of Israel. The people of the marine unit are in contact with the center in Malta REMPEC (regional center for response to sea and coastal pollution in the Middle East) and with the European agency EMSA, trying to check possible sources of this type of event.

The national emergency plan for the handling of a sea pollution incident with oil (TLMT) which was approved by the government and implemented by the Ministry of Environmental Protection in such incidents, defined 3 levels (TIER) for response to sea and beach pollution incidents.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection defined the event as "interlocal" at the TIER 2B level - in such an event, the source of the pollution is unknown and the cleanup operations are carried out by the owners of the local emergency plans affected by the pollution, under the guidance of the National Unit for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The source of the pollution is still unknown, and it seems to be the emission of oils or petroleum from a vessel that passed off the coast of Israel. In an event of this type, when the source of the pollution is unknown, the cleaning operations are carried out by those who have the emergency plans - mainly the coastal local authorities. But unlike the situation where there is a known source, which can be claimed for cleaning expenses, in the current situation there is no source of contamination, and therefore there is also no source of claim and compensation for the cleaning expenses.

Therefore, the Minister of Environmental Protection, Gila Gamaliel, instructed the chairman of the fund's management and the director general of the ministry, David Yahami, to contact the members of the fund for the prevention of sea pollution in order to make use of the approved budget section to finance clean-up operations in emergency cases. "The current event meets this criterion and in accordance with the goals of the fund", Minister Gamliel notes, "and for this reason, it is possible to provide budgetary assistance to the local authorities who will complete the cleaning according to the guidelines of the Ministry of Environmental Protection."

Landings of tar have been recorded so far on the beaches of 16 local authorities in Israel: the Regional Council of Meta Asher, Acre, Haifa, Tirat Carmel, Carmel Beach, Jisr a-Zarka, Hadera, Emek Hefer, Hasharon Beach, Netanya, Herzliya, Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, Rishon Lezion, Ashdod, and the Ashkelon beach where tar landings were discovered this morning.

The Ecotion Association, in cooperation with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, leads and operates the national network of sea emergency volunteers. Volunteers from organizations such as the People of the Mediterranean joined the initiative and are today deployed in the field on the various beaches and lead the cleaning operations.

Update Friday 19/2/21

This morning, the Ministry of Environmental Protection identified pollution spots in the sea in front of several beaches in Haifa during a patrol flight; The office performs additional tests and examines the use of appropriate treatment measures before the contamination reaches the coast; Minister Gamaliel in the assessment of the situation with the heads of the authorities yesterday (Friday): "We are doing everything to find the person responsible for the destruction of the beaches and the humane harm to the animals"

Update 19 / 2 / 2021

The dimensions of the tar lump landing event are becoming clearer as the storm subsides. About 160 km of Israel's coasts, from Rosh Hankara to the coast of Ashkelon, were significantly polluted with tar. As of this moment, the source of the pollution is unknown, but according to the type of tar and its texture, it seems that it is an emission of oils or petroleum from a vessel that passed off the coast of Israel.

In a special reconnaissance flight held yesterday by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, pollution spots were discovered in the sea, moving towards the land in front of several beaches in Israel: Surfers Beach - Bat Galim Haifa, the quiet beach in Haifa, in front of Hecht Park in Haifa. The spots are in the sea, 200-500 meters from the shore.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection sent an immediate message to the Union of Haifa Cities to warn the public against entering the beaches. The ministry examines suitable treatment measures before the pollution reaches the beaches.

In the assessment of the situation held yesterday (Fri), the Minister of Environmental Protection Gila Gamaliel with the heads of the coastal authorities, she informed that following her directive, the members of the management of the Sea Pollution Fund approved in principle support for the authorities to deal with the tar damage that landed on the beaches within their jurisdiction. "We have approved the transfer of emergency budgets to the local authorities for the benefit of handling the incident, and we will soon advance the issue so that you receive the necessary funds for the task," said the minister.

Since this is an event where the pollution is in the form of semi-solid or completely solid tar, and since the tar hit the beaches during a storm, we are facing a situation where, apart from the tar, there are different types of waste on the beaches - some of which were contaminated by the tar and some of which were not. Therefore, the correct strategy for removing the waste from the beaches is manual cleaning, while separating as much as possible the oily waste from the sand and the normal waste - which makes cleaning difficult. Even today, many volunteers who joined the cleanup efforts, including those trained by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ecotion association, are deployed and collect the tar manually.

Minister Gamaliel said yesterday (Friday): "Tar is a dangerous substance! The event will not end in the coming days, we are preparing for hard and long work. There are places where engineering tools will not help, so the method for removing the tar is by working hands. We need volunteers and we receive many requests from citizens who want to help, and they will be able to do so through the local authorities."

To register for assistance in cleaning the beaches

More of the topic in Hayadan:

• The black gold: back in the time of the Pharaoh dynasty
• Minister Gamaliel promises that Israel will align with the rest of the world and reach zero emissions. On the disconnect between the government's promises and their implementation
• We haven't finished with one oil slick yet and there are already several more