Haifa Gadiv Plant Resumes Maintenance Following Benzene Spike and Safety Review

The Ministry of Environmental Protection has approved the resumption of maintenance work at the Gadiv petrochemical plant in Haifa, a week after high benzene emissions led to a temporary halt in operations and the brief evacuation of two local schools.

Benzene Spike and School Evacuations

The incident began when monitoring stations detected abnormal levels of benzene, a known carcinogen derived from petroleum. While regulations permit limited exceedances of the standard 3.9 micrograms per cubic meter daily average, levels spiked past 12 micrograms per cubic meter—more than triple the normal limit.

Following the surge, authorities temporarily relocated students from the Erezim school and the Social School as a precautionary measure. Although ambient levels normalized quickly, maintenance operations at Gadiv remained suspended pending a thorough safety review.

Strict Safety Protocols Implemented

Under the newly approved work plan, Bazan and Gadiv must adhere to stringent environmental controls to prevent future incidents:

• Continuous monitoring of operational parameters, such as tank pressure spikes.

• Real-length tracking of benzene concentrations near emission sources with mandatory reduction thresholds.

• Enhanced supervision by the Ministry's Haifa district administration.

"The renewal of maintenance work was approved following a professional review of submitted documents and the establishment of stringent environmental requirements," said Dorit Ziss, Director of the Haifa District at the Ministry of Environmental Protection.