The Haifa area in Israel has the highest rate of cancer and asthma. The Haifa Bay contains the most polluting industries in Israel. The Health Ministry and the World Health Organization have recognized the connection between industrial air pollution and increased disease, for over five years. The polluting industries in Haifa Bay, the leading one being the refineries (ORL Group), violate the Clean Air Act regulations repeatedly, and their names are often part of investigations into pollution offenses, irregular malfunctions and dangerous substances.

The fuel refinery industry in Haifa Bay has an effect the lives of all of us in a wide variety of areas: health, safety, environment, economics, and planning and future of the energy economy in Israel.

The struggle in Haifa in the face of polluting industries has existed since the 1970s. In 2012, the planning committee was entrusted with a plan to expand the area of ORL’s plants by 220%, and since then, Green Course has accompanied the residents as an activity cell. Over the years we have achieved many things, foremost among them changing the public discourse from halting expansion of ORL, to closing polluting industries in Haifa completely.

In 2022, we succeeding in leading to a governmental decision to close the polluting industries in Haifa and to change the designation of the land to residential, occupational, clean industry and green areas. In addition, it was decided by the Prime Minister’s office to establish a Haifa Bay Developmental Administration. However, the decision did not include objectives or budgeting.

Today we demand that the government budget evacuation of the industries, establish objectives and rehabilitate Haifa Bay.