New Environment Ministry index classifies Palmachim Beach ‘dirtiest’ in Israel, while northern beaches receive high rankings; finds 80% of waste comprised of plastic
Yael Darel
Palmachim Beach has been named the dirtiest beach in Israel, according to an Environment Ministry index published recently.
The index, published once a week throughout the swimming season, ranks the cleanliness and quality of services provided along Israel’s public beaches.
According to the last three indexes, nearly 80% of Israel’s public beaches are relatively clean and maintained.
The only beach to be classified as “very dirty” was Palmachim Beach in the south. The nearby Galilee Beach, stretching from Gan Raveh Regional Council to Ashdod, was classified as “dirty.”
The ranking “fairly dirty” was given to a few public beaches, including Zikim Beach in Ashkelon Coast Regional Council, Tirat Carmel Beach and the southern beach in Nahariya.
The cleanest beaches on the list were comprised of Rosh HaNikra and Betzet Beach in the north and Mikhmoret beaches and Beit Yanai located in the Sharon region. The beaches in Bat Yam and Jisr az-Zarqa also received high rankings on cleanliness.
The Environment Ministry added that the most popular form of waste found in the Israeli beaches was plastic, making up at least 80% of the waste.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4096363,00.html
The Ministry of the environment may publish the index weekly, however according to thier published findings, they are certainly not checking the beaches weekly.
Mikhmoret beach is supposed to have the reputation of being one of the cleanest beaches in Israel, but several visits this August 2012 have proven quite the opposite. It was impossible to enter the water without being brushed by garbage: plastic bags, food wrappers, disposable razors, broken toys, articles of clothing. It was a dump. In no small part due to the lack of respect of temporary dwellers on the beach who make the shores their private dump. I was disgusted to be there and horrified to think about the future of our Israeli coastline and the marine life that inhabit it.