Thick black smoke emitted from the ZEN compound – Association of Cities investigates suspected violation of emission permit

(Haipo) – On Sunday, May 10, 2026, starting at 4:00 PM, several incidents of thick black smoke being emitted from one of the flares in the ZEN complex were recorded. The event was recorded by the cameras of the Haifa Bay Cities Association for Environmental Protection and by residents of the area, who contacted the Haifa Municipality hotline with reports of the hazard. The association is currently investigating a suspected violation of the plant's emissions permit.

A malfunction at the Kaol plant led to the shutdown of a production facility

A report received from the Carmel Olefins plant indicates that the source of the smoke is a malfunction in one of the production facilities, which subsequently led to the facility being shut down. Malfunctions and shutdowns in petrochemical facilities carry a high potential for increased emissions of pollutants, in addition to the visible black smoke. Upon receipt of the reports, teams from the Haifa Bay Cities Association for Environmental Protection conducted technical tests and analyses of the smoke emissions. The test findings indicate that the smoke had been rising for more than five minutes, cumulatively over a two-hour period.

The union: We will take legal action if it is found that there was an exception.

The Haifa Bay Cities Environmental Protection Association stated that it views incidents of this nature as serious and is currently examining the circumstances of the incident and how it was handled, in order to determine whether violations of the terms of the plant's emission permit were committed. It was further stated that if it is found that there was indeed a violation of the provisions of the law or the emission permits, the association will act decisively in coordination with the Ministry of Environmental Protection to bring the plant to justice, and that it will continue to closely monitor monitoring data in the area and update the public on any developments.

Deputy Mayor Han: "The time for these factories in Haifa Bay is over"

Deputy and Acting Mayor of Haifa and Chairman of the Haifa Bay Association of Cities for Environmental Protection, Avihu Han, said: "The incessant series of malfunctions at the ZEN complex, which reached its peak once again today with the sight of thick black smoke, is conclusive proof that the time for these factories in Haifa Bay is over. We cannot continue with a routine of malfunctions and emissions that occur at the expense of the health of hundreds of thousands of residents. It is time to tell them: Start organizing for the exit; The reality in which Haifa Bay serves as a polluting backyard must change." Hahn appealed to the Prime Minister's Office demanding that the timetable for the evacuation of the factories be shortened, and called on Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman to get into the thick of things immediately and activate her full enforcement powers, to impose heavy financial sanctions and deterrent fines. Hahn also appealed to Energy Minister Eli Cohen and said that "the BZN complex does not constitute 'energy security' as they try to portray it, but rather the direct cause of excess morbidity and severe air pollution in Haifa Bay. The true security of Israeli citizens begins with the basic right to breathe clean air and to protect public health."

The union's CEO: "The torch is a source of pollutant emissions, not a safety measure"

The CEO of the Haifa Bay Cities Association for Environmental Protection, Dr. Lihi Shahar Berman, said: "This is further proof that the flare is not a safety measure, but a source of pollutant emissions. Black smoke means incomplete combustion of gases. The flare is allowed to operate in this manner for 120 hours a year with a permit from the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and therefore the residents who will pay the price with their health."