Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav says alleged infant disorders linked to pollution in Haifa Bay are the government’s fault.
New research published yesterday suggests a link between a high rate of infant disorders in the Haifa region and air pollution caused by heavy industry situated next to the northern port city. Symptoms of pollution-related disorders include smaller-than-average heads and relatively low weight, in addition to the high rates of cancer identified in previous studies, Channel 2 News reported Sunday.
The Haifa Bay is home to oil refineries, power plants, manufacturers of chemicals and metals and a major port, all of which have been a source of concern for residents, after recent studies found higher cancer rates in the surrounding towns.
“We requested the study and we support the research, we want to know the truth,” Yahav says during an interview with Channel 2. “The government is to blame for what has happened and for years making Haifa the state capital of heavy industry.”
At the same time, Avi Gabai, the minister of environmental protection, says his office will run an independent study on Haifa air pollution and will decide on further steps based on the results.
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
— Gabriella Jacobs, multimedia journalist
Support our work
Support our work
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
You're a dedicated reader
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you,
David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Join Our Community
Join Our Community
Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this
From the Liveblog of
Monday, February 1, 2016
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
