Pollution

The air you breathe in, the water you drink, and the soil for agriculture are the main sites at risk for toxic pollution. Though we may not observe pollution with our own eyes, we may be exposed to it unknowingly – a silent killer.

In our region, the main source of air emissions is from transportation caused by high-density traffic and the aging fleet of cars and trucks. Other sources of air pollution include the burning of household and agricultural waste. If emissions in the West Bank were reduced 50% by 2020, the annual benefits would amount to EUR 68 million saved each year from environmental damage, health effects, and remediation.

About 80% of medical centers in the region do not control their disposal of waste – it is usually burned or added to municipal dumping site. Burning medical waste is hazardous and pollutes the air with various deadly heavy metals (e.g. cadmium, mercury, dioxins). In Palestine, only a small amount of industrial waste is recycled – most is burned on-site.