Multiple New Waste Facilities Backed by Israeli Government

07 December 2011

Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) has granted 250 million shekels ($67 million) to private entrepreneurs and local authorities for the construction of twenty waste treatment and transfer facilities.

According to the MEP, these facilities are a vital and complementing link in the implementation of the separation of waste at source program which has been introduced in the country.

In total, the MEP claimed that some 600 million shekels ($165 million) will be invested in the construction of recycling and waste to energy facilities over the next three years, with 40% coming from the MEP and 60% from entrepreneurs and local authorities.

According to MEP figures, between 12,000 and 14,000 tonnes of mixed waste is generated by Israel's local authorities every day, totalling some 4.4 million tonnes per year. Forecasts by the ministry suggest annual increases of 3% - 5%.

The quantity of organic waste is estimated at 1.5 million tonnes per year, constituting some 40% of all solid waste in Israel by weight and 10% by volume. Most of this waste originates in food products, fruits and vegetables, etc.

The new facilities are expected to treat some 8000 tonnes of waste per day, about two-thirds of the daily quantity of municipal waste which is generated in Israel.

The facilities include two phases of waste treatment. Firstly, the waste will be sorted into its different components, with recyclables going to material recovery facilities. The MEP said that this will increase the quantity of recycled materials and significantly decrease the quantity of landfilled waste.

Secondly, the treatment of the organic fraction, which constitutes some 40% of MSW and its transfer to compost and anaerobic digestion facilities.

The MEP said that 31 local authorities have already joined the project and have received some 350 million shekels ($93.5 million) of aid for financing a municipal infrastructure.

The material recovery facilities and transfer stations will receive the waste, sort it and recycle it, thereby saving a claimed 900 million shekels ($240 million) worth of raw materials which were previously landfilled every year.

Environmental protection minister Gilad Erdan said: "Establishing a recycling and waste to energy market will prevent unnecessary exploitation of natural resources and raw materials, thereby significantly reducing the economic costs and environmental degradation that are finally borne by the consumer."


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