22.03.2011                      16.Adar ll, 5771

Umwelt:

Erdan gets tough with polluters

Environment minister issues hefty fines, will close four guilty firms.

Environmental Protection Minister Gilad Erdan is going after polluters with heavy fines and other actions. He is also pushing new laws to make Israeli industry, transportation and energy production greener. Erdan also thinks it is necessary to expand the authority of his ministry to better enforce the new rules.
"I am about to issue closure orders against four companies in the metals industry, who did not file full requests by March 1 [2011] to receive licenses to discharge into the atmosphere according to the Clean Air Law," said Erdan. These include the Dead Sea Magnesium Works and the metal recycling plant in Ramat Hovav south of Be'er Sheva, he said in an interview in advance of today's Environment 2020 Convention at the Hilton Hotel in Tel Aviv….