Environmental Health in Israel | 2014

Exposure to ambient air pollution – even at very low concentrations – is associated with a range of adverse health effects in the general population, including asthma and other respiratory diseases, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, cancer, neurodevelopmental effects, and adverse birth outcomes. In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified outdoor air pollution as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). Scientific evidence indicates that the major air pollutants associated with adverse health effects are particulate matter (PM), ozone (O 3 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). Additional ambient air pollutants including benzene, formaldehyde and selected polycyclic aromatic compounds are known human carcinogens. Standards and Policy Ambient air quality is regulated according to the Israel Clean Air Law, which was approved in 2008 and entered into force in January 2011. Prior to the Clean Air Law, ambient air quality in Israel was regulated according to more than ten different laws and standards, including the 1992 Prevention of Nuisance Standards which set maximum ambient air pollutant levels. These levels were generally less stringent than those recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) or the European Union limit values. The main prohibitions and obligations according to the Clean Air Law are:  Air quality values will be set by the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MoEP) and updated regularly. Air Quality values include (a) target values whose exceedance constitutes potential Ambient Air Quality Chapter 1 - 9 - Ambient Air Quality