JERUSALEM, Sept 7 (NNN-MA’AN) – Tonnes of vegetable oil flowed into the Mediterranean Sea, as a result of a huge fire that erupted at a factory, in the city of Haifa in northern Israel, the state’s Ministry of Environmental Protection (MoEP) reported on Friday.
The fire broke out at the Shemen Industries, Israel’s leading factory for edible oils.
The fire damaged a warehouse with 80 tonnes of packed vegetable oil. As a result, huge amounts of oil flowed into nearby streets in Haifa and then to the sea, through the municipal drainage system.
Teams of the MoEP marine protection unit located large transparent oil stains between two docks of Haifa Port.
Following the stain detection, the Israel Ports company placed water blocks to clean up the contaminated water, under the supervision of the MoEP.
Investigation revealed, the cause of the fire was probably the burning of metal waste, near the oil warehouse.
Besides water pollution in the Mediterranean, the fire also caused air pollution.
The Israeli environmental organisation, Citizens for Clean Air, said, “burning waste is one of the most significant air pollution factors in Israel, and is even a real immediate danger to life.”– NNN-MA’AN
