Wastewater must be treated beyond conventional methods used today in Israel in order to eliminate Covid-19, report scientists from Ben-Gurion University (BGU) in Beersheba, Israel. The researchers have found that parts of the coronavirus or SARS-CoV-2  survives after sewage purification in treatments plants.

They isolated RNA samples of the virus post-treatment and the finding worries them for a number of reasons.

Wastewater poses a potential threat of a renewed outbreak around the world, the researchers urge. It may not reach your homes in the tap, but sewage workers are exposed to the virus through human faeces and urine by the nature of their work. 

“If we do not want recurring waves of outbreaks, reducing the infection rate may not be enough, wastewater must be neutralized as well,” says Oded Nir of the Zuckerberg Institute for Water Research at BGU. 

The BGU team analyzed samples of sewage collected during the first lockdown in April, 2020 and during the second wave in July. They found ample abundance of the virus’s RNA. Most of the sewage in Israel and other developed countries undergoes biological treatment before it gets released to the environment or before the water is reused, however that was insufficient to reduce the virus concentration to undetectable levels, the researchers report.

Their findings were just uploaded to medRxiv (links to the synopsis) and will be undergoing peer review shortly. An earlier study started this spring is using the sewer and live sewage to isolate Covid-10 outbreaks on city streets.

They urge wastewater to be further treated to minimize the risk of dissemination and infection of Covid-19. In a couple of instances where wastewater was treated by chlorine, the Covid-19 virus was no longer detectable.

Protect our sewers from dangerous waste

If wastewater is left untreated, or if pipes burst or overflow from rains or winter storms in the Middle East, Covid-19 could infect people or animals who come into contact with it and perhaps create a mutated version of the virus, the scientists speculate. Covid-19 could also affect water sources if sewage is dumped in open areas.

In Israel, wastewater is collected, treated and then reused for agriculture. By the time it reaches the fields it is treated partially and called greywater which is not safe for consumption. In earlier studies in Israel (2016), researchers at the Hebrew University have reported a buildup of pharmaceuticals in the water and researchers are only now trying to understand how birth control pills, and drugs like cocaine and legal ones like chemotherapy and epilepsy medicine affect us when used in greywater to water vegetables and fruit. These pharmaceuticals also end up in treated water we drink – see Alon Tal. 

We asked Oded Nir a few more questions:

How worrying is it? “The main worry is that, worldwide, the new coronavirus is being discharged to the environment in an uncontrolled manner, which can have effects that we cannot predict,” Nir tells Green Prophet. 

“The pandemic is global, so the entire world should be worried and consider to minimize SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater effluents.

“Farmers should not be worried in particular, since wastewater effluents in Israel are chlorinated before reuse in agriculture. Overflow can be problematic but it is a short event. The continuous discharge should be taken care of,” he explains. 

“We did not study greywater. Treated wastewater leaving the wastewater treatment plant can contain traces of the virus if not chlorinated or further treatment by (for example) membranes. Around the world, these effluents ends up in rivers or lakes. If the virus traces are infectious (we are not sure yet) it could infect humans or animals, thus impeding efforts to eliminate the pandemic.”

What’s the best long-term solution in your mind to help humanity? Beyond choline. Something more sustainable?

Nir’s response: “I think the future is in applying advanced low-energy membrane filtration to the effluent. This can remove viruses completely and also reduce other bad stuff like organic micro-pollutants and heavy metals. We are currently working on such solutions in my lab.

“In this context, we are working on developing advanced membrane processes for (1) upgrading the quality of treated wastewater so it can be used in agriculture more sustainably or discharged into rivers without ecological damage. (2) recover valuable resources from wastewater, especially phosphorus which can reused as fertilizer.”

Additional researchers in the Covid-19 wastewater study at BGU include: Hala Abu Ali, Karin Yaniv, Edo Bar-Zeev, Sanhita Chaudhury, Marilou Shaga, Satish Lakkakula, and Prof. Zeev Ronen.

The post Covid-19 survives sewage treatment, finds new study appeared first on Green Prophet.

Egypt’s network of canals are filthy, stagnant and have become dumping sites which breed disease and discontent

Egypt may be synonymous with the majestic Nile but the network of canals that bring water from this important waterway to the surrounding agricultural lands are filthy, rancid and breeding grounds for rats and disease. According to a recent report by Al Jazeera, the Egyptian government is simply not doing enough to provide suitable garbage management and this means local see little alternative to dumping in the stagnant canals. Government mismanagement and corruption has been highlighted by campaigner Sarah Rifaat as one of the major barriers to action on climate issues in a recent interview. This case with the canals shows how such factors play out in real life. 

On the outskirts of Cairo, severe water shortages in the village of Abu Sir are making it hard for farmers to cultivate their crops and is also contributing to public health problems. Farmers there are accusing the Ministry of Irrigation of diverting water to new neighbourhoods, leaving them with stagnant canals that are quickly turning into rubbish dumps. As more and more rubbish piles up, rats are not far behind and for the children who play in these dumps, disease can be no surprise. Water shortages are also forcing women to collect supplies from wells and farmers say that they have no choice but to wait for water as their crops wither.

A local resident speaking to Al Jazeera explains that due to limited garbage collection, the residents of Abu Sir are forced to dump their rubbish where they can – usually the canals. The dire state of the canals has forced farmers to hire out contractors to clear the rubbish, something they say that the government should be doing. There is clearly a lack of infrastructure and the government needs to do more to provide locals with the amenities to dispose of their rubbish safely.

However, writing on the Arabist blog, a member of a local horse riders organisation says they have worked with Abu Sir residents to develop a garbage collection operation. According to the Egyptian Endurance Riding Association (EERA) website the project was funded by the Egyptian Swiss Development Fund with a total grant of LE 1,700,000.

The scheme meant that each household had to pay a fee of EGP 5.00 a month but unfortunately many villagers had a hard time paying this fee. Another issue the organisation raises is that although community members were keen to take part in cleaning-up campaigns, the results weren’t satisfactory “due to community embedded habits of dumping waste in irrigation canals.”

Clearly, there is a balance to be struck in terms of making sure there are real and viable alternatives to getting rid of rubbish before we can talk about changing embedded habits. It also makes absolutely no sense to be asking poor villagers to pay to dispose of their rubbish safely – if we do, can we really be surprised when we find them dumping trash in their own precious canals?

: Top image is a snapshot of the Al Jazeera report and the second photo is of clear up by EERA.

For more on Egypt and it’s environmental issues see:

Egyptian Campaigner: ‘Corruption not Climate Awareness is Holding Us Back’

Frack Off Shell! Egyptians Launch Anti-Fracking Campaign

Egypt Environment Activists Fighting Back Over Sina Red Sea Bridge

The post Egypt’s Filthy Canals Are Breeding Disease and Discontent appeared first on Green Prophet.

The Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights have condemned fracking by Shell, Apache and Dana Petroleum in Egypt as dangerous and called for an immediate end to the practice

Fracking has faced criticism worldwide due to concerns that it contaminates drinking water and triggers earthquakes. Now, Egyptians have launched a campaign against Shell’s hydraulic fracturing operations in three wells in Egypt’s Western Desert. In a press release the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR) state that Shell has failed to carry out an environmental impact assessment and is putting local freshwater resources at risk of contamination. They have also asked the Egyptian government to place an immediate moratorium on fracking until it is independently declared safe.

Reem Labib, the Environmental Justice researcher at EIPR explains: “Fracking threatens Egypt’s drinking water but Shell and Dana’s drilling is mired in secrecy. We don’t know the ingredients of the toxic cocktail used, where they plan to source water from, or how the poisonous slurry will be disposed of. The government hasn’t published any regulations specific to fracking, the local geological conditions, or how and whether it will monitor and evaluate the impacts of fracking.”

Dana Petroleum are fracking in the Nile Valley and EIPR state that leakage of any toxic waste could result in poisonous chemicals flowing into the Nile. This would threaten the lives and livelihoods of the 70 million people who are clustered along the river downstream. As well as concerns about contamination, many worry that Egypt simply doesn’t have the water reserves to support such the water-intensive practice of fracking.

EIPR has called on the Egyptian government to place an immediate moratorium on fracking “until appropriate regulation has been developed and comprehensive independent scientific studies have assessed the potential effects based on local geology, including the possibility of fracking chemicals leaking into the groundwater.”

Shell has already faced protest for its fracking operations in South Africa, Pennsylvania and New Mexico for contaminating drinking water and lobbying aggressively. Even so, there was a heated debate on Twitter over this was the best use of campaigners time and whether Egyptians should be focusing on more pressing environmental concerns in the country such as poor public transport, over-crowding and pollution.

In an ideal world, there would be time and support for all these concerns. Sadly, there isn’t but that shouldn’t mean that we criticise any campaign that comes along for not doing enough – we should be encouraging it to make links to the wider problems and helping it raise a more general sense of environmental awareness. Fracking may not be an issue affecting the lives of many Egyptians right now, but I’d rather see a forward thinking campaign looking into (and trying to avoid) the dangers rather than waiting for a fracking-related disaster to make it more relevant to the average Egyptian.

:: Platform London

: Image via Cybergeddeon/openclipart.org

For more on fracking see:

Ex-Shell Scientists Insists Israeli Oil Shale Is Still A Possibility

Hunting for Fossil Rock in the Arabian Desert

Israeli Black Globe Award Went to IEI for Oil Shale Agenda

The post Frack Off Shell! Egyptians Launch Anti-Fracking Campaign appeared first on Green Prophet.

An investigation by Greenpeace has found hormone-disrupting chemicals and a range of phthalates which are classified as toxic to reproduction in Lebanese waters

Ranking a lowly 114 in the Global Health Index, Lebanon was under no illusion that its waters were the cleanest or most biodiverse. However, a recent report by Greenpeace Lebanon has revealed some rather shocking finds about the toxic nature of the country’s coast. From November 2011 to February 2012, the Greenpeace Lebanon team collected a total of 30 samples from various locations along the Lebanese coast. These were then sent to to the Greenpeace International Science Unit in the UK for assessment. The results showed a “a plethora of dangerous and toxic compounds present in the waters [which] represent a serious risk hazard, both to human and environmental health.” 

Solid waste problems, wastewater problems and industrial emissions were highlighted as the three main areas causing contamination. In the case of the wastewater and solid waste, lack of infrastructure and management law were the major problems as well as the “immense lag from the Lebanese state in establishing a proper wastewater network and water treatment plants.” The report added that industrial emissions represent a more sizeable challenge as solutions exist in terms of legislation but aren’t properly implemented.

The samples collected were found to have contaminants such as flame retardants, the hormone-disrupting nonylphenol ethoxylates, low levels of lead, zinc, copper, iron and manganese and a range of phthalates including DIBP and DEHP, both of which are classified as toxic to reproduction. High levels of chromium were also detected in discharged wastewaters from the Lebanese Tanneries and Mounir Bsat facilities in Ghazieh.

The report concluded that further investigations would be necessary in order to identify the specific sources of the chemicals identified in the various wastewater discharges. “Nonetheless, taken together, the results from this study indicate that a broad range of chemical pollutants (both metals and organic chemical contaminants) are discharged in wastewaters from multiple sources to the Mediterranean Coastal area of Lebanon,” added the report.

The report, entitled “Lebanon’s Toxic Coast: an overview of threats, problems and solutions,” also emphasized that the responsibility for combating this problem lies with both the public and private sectors. Speaking to the Daily Star, Rayan Makarem from Greenpeace Lebanon explained: “It is the responsibility of the government to handle the issue of waste-water management through the implementation of current plans to complete the waste-water infrastructure for the country and stop the dumping of raw sewage directly into the Mediterranean.”

“In addition, new legislation should be passed to allow for a complete upheaval of the solid waste sector, which is suffering from the absence of modern rules and regulations,” Makarem said. “Industries in Lebanon can and should be able to control their emissions in accordance with existing legislation … as well as investing in improving their industrial process or in the installation of the required filters.

: Photo via Greenpeace Lebanon/facebook.

For more on Lebanon see:

The State of The Middle East’s Oceans – A Report

Pink Balloon Protest: Lebanese Reclaim Beirut Beach

Lebanese Green Designers Transform Washing Machines Into Beautiful Seats

The post Lebanon: Greenpeace Investigation Reveals Toxic Coast Pollution appeared first on Green Prophet.

According to a recent report by charities, Gaza’s only source of fresh water is contaminated with fertiliser and human waste

The water and waste infrastructure in Gaza has been slowly deteriorating for years now. War damage, political conflict and dwindling resources are all part of the problem – however, the most troubling aspect is that there is little hope for improvement. According to the latest report by Save the Children and Medical Aid for Palestinians, Gaza’s water is too contaminated to drink and the number of children treated with diarrhoea has doubled in the last five years. The report also remarked that Israel’s five year blockade of the territory is preventing important sanitation equipment from reaching the people of Gaza.

The report found that sanitation related diseases – with serious implications for child mortality, such as typhoid fever and watery diarrhoea – had increased in children under the age of three in clinics serving refugees in the Gaza Strip. In 2012 alone, three children also drowned in pools of open sewage and there were calls for an investigation to look into the causes and ways to prevent similar incidents.

It is believed that just 5% of the available water in Gaza is suitable for consumption and so projects such as the desalination plant which is backed by Europe are very important. However, political wrangling and the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip are real barriers that such projects struggle to overcome. The report’s key recommendation was that Israel lift the blockade and allow the free movement of people and goods in and out of Gaza. The report added: “Given the direct relationship between a supply of clean water and deteriorating water and sanitation systems, on one hand, and child mortality on the other, all planned water and sanitation projects should be implemented immediately, and a clear timetable provided by the Israeli authorities for their completion.”

Despite effort by locals to raise awareness of water shortage issues, such as painting water murals, little has actually changed on the ground in the last couple of years. Gazans are still struggling with poor water infrastructure and experts are now saying that little will change until the blockade of Gaza is lifted. For over five years, over 1.6 million people in Gaza have been under blockade – in direct violation of international law. And as children make up more than half of the population, the implications of this blockade on young people has been hard to ignore.

For example, despite the easing of the blockade in 2010 many families in Gaza still struggle with food insecurity and remain critically dependent on aid. The report added: “The community is torn by political disputes and critical services, including health, have been unable to recover from conflict… the environment is heavily polluted, with Gaza’s residents being squeezed into an ever-shrinking, increasingly unhealthy space with almost no clean water. It is the lack of this that makes children particularly vulnerable to the spread of diseases.”

Gaza’s health sector is suffering from shortages with medical supplies and equipment in high demand. Schools and other public institutions are similarly affected although the UN is working with Italian architect Mario Cucinella to help build more sustainable and self-sufficient schools.

For more on Gaza and its environmental situation see:

The Stunning Water Murals of Gaza (PHOTOS)

Boy Drowns in Sewage Water Basin in Gaza

Gaza Seawater Desalination Plant Backed by Europe

Image of Gazan fisherman via Ryan Rodrick Beiler / Shutterstock.com

The post Gaza’s Water Too Dangerous To Drink appeared first on Green Prophet.

Water murals in the Gaza Strip explore the daily struggle with water shortage and water contamination

The Gaza Strip is known to indulge in political murals but water murals are definitely a new thing. Over the summer months, US activists along with local artists, teachers and school children got together to paint 8 murals exploring the water struggles of the Gaza Strip. Murals were painted on the walls of elementary schools and near water desalination units in areas such as Beit Hanoun, Rafah and Bureij Camp.

Artists from the Oakland-based Estria Foundation and the Olympia-Rafah Mural Project worked with local school children to decide on the themes and images that the murals would depict. Many of the children talked about their concerns about dirty water dumped into the sea where they swim and fisherman get their catch.

The murals, which are as large as 1,000 square feet, highlight the important role of water and the need for clean drinking water and better sewage removal in the Gaza Strip. Import restriction imposed by the Israeli government mean that Gazans are currently struggling to extend and repair their water and sewage infrastructure.

The Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA) has helped raise funds to build much-needed water purification and desalination systems for Palestinian schools via the project. The murals were painted at the sites of these desalination units. MECA has been able to provide water systems for 14 UN schools and 13 kindergartens across the Gaza Strip

Ewash, a Gaza-based water rights advocacy group, reports a 90-95 percent water contamination rate in the region and found that the daily water consumption rate was 30% below the WHO recommended water use for health and hygiene purposes.

For more on Gaza see:

Israel Considers Building Artificial Island Off Gaza Coast

Gaza’s Green Roofs of Herbs and Vegetables

The Dome Mosque In Gaza Under Repair

The post The Stunning Water Murals of Gaza (PHOTOS) appeared first on Green Prophet.

Over the years we have covered a host of freaky food and water-related stories that have the power to turn even the most adventurous eater into an obsessive label-reader, so we thought it was high time to collate six of the most disturbing in one convenient post as a reminder of how important it is to question just about everything we eat and to source our food from ethical markets.

You’ll be shocked to learn that holy ZamZam water from Mecca was found to be laced with arsenic, non-organic soy goes through a toxic chemical bath before it is compressed into a veggie burger, and that bread you love so much could very well contain traces of human hair. Learn more about these and other “hair-raising” food stories right after the break.

It’s hard to say which of these stories is the grossest, so to speak, so don’t take our ordering too seriously, though we have left one of our most explosive stories for the end!

1. Human-Based Gelatin

China is not known for either its human or animal rights record, so it comes as no surprise to us that researchers at the University of Chemical Technology in Beijing, China, are culturing human collagen genes to develop yeast. These will then reproduce en masse to create vast supplies of gelatin used for pill capsules, desserts, and cosmetics! And the reason for using human genes, which doesn’t have to be reported to the consumer, according to the scientists working on the project? To reduce animal-related allergies and the spread of disease.

2. Human hair in bread

We hate to say it, but the Chinese are behind this shocking story as well. Although L-cysteine seems harmless enough – it’s a non-essential amino acid – it is derived from human hair that is dissolved in acid. Once the L-cysteine has been isolated, it is shipped off to bread producers who then use it to condition their dough. Aside from sounding completely unpalatable, consuming anything from human beings is a big no no for Jews and Muslims alike.

3. Chemical Degreasers in Soya Burgers

The vegetarians among us have long believed that eating veggie burgers will reduce our environmental impact and spare goodness knows how many tons of meat every year, but we learned from the Cornucopia Institute that non-organic soy products are “washed” in a chemical bath that can take the grease off the dirtiest engine! These baths typically consist of  50-60% n-hexane, a heavy industrial solvent and degreaser, along with a remaining mixture of cyclohexane, methycyclohexane and methypentanes – none of which sound especially delicious.

4. Arsenic in Holy Water

This next story is also one of our most controversial, since Zam Zam Holy Water from Mecca is considered sacred to Muslims and any so-called export of the product, which is illegal, is to be viewed with suspicion. Nonetheless, the BBC went undercover to take samples of a well in Mecca, and discovered that it contained levels of arsenic – a poisonous toxic – that are 3 x higher than what is considered safe for human consumption. Is this healing drinkers, as Muslims believe, or harming them?

5. Fluoride “Fertilizer” in Water

This isn’t the first time we’ve used the word shocking to describe these stories, but considering that in some countries it is required by law to have fluoride in our waterways, this story really will shock you. Miriam interviewed an occupational health and toxicology expert, who revealed that fluorides – a byproduct of fertilizer, nuclear, aluminum, steel, and pesticide industries – is supposed to prevent tooth decay, but is actually a powerful toxin responsible for such ills as cancer, arthritis, thyroid dysfunction, and neurological disorders among others. We definitely encourage you to read more.

 6. Pork Plasma in Meat Glue

This story has been one of our most widely read and it’s easy to see why. This little package of white powder has the capability of turning 100 kg of otherwise useless scraps of beef, lamb, chicken, and fish look good enough to eat. The trouble is, transglutaminase, an enzyme in powder form derived from beef and pork blood plasma, comes with an unhealthy serving of blood clots, and it’s not necessary to report to customers that it’s being used. And because it binds scraps together so tightly, bacteria tends to stick to it too. The EU banned meat glue in 2010, but any old joe can pick up a pack at amazon if they wish!

The post Top 6 Freaky Foods To Avoid appeared first on Green Prophet.

Nobody knows for sure how much electronic waste is dumped in Pakistan, but it’s easily in the thousands of tons every year. Some of it is generated internally but most is imported from developed countries. It’s not legal under the Basel Convention – to which Pakistan is a party – to import E-waste  into the country, and legislation calls for proper handling of what does exist to minimize lead, cadmium, beryllium, and brominated flame retardant contamination, but these laws are not well enforced.

In just two years, between 2005 and 2007, cell phone ownership in Pakistan increased from 1.277 million people to 100 million. In time these phones will be added to Karachi landfills, where they will leach harmful toxins into the soil that will eventually make their way into the Arabian Gulf. The country’s Environmental Ministry acknowledges the country’s Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) challenges and presented potential solutions at a conference in Japan this past July. It turns out, these toxic heaps represent a potential goldmine for investors and industrious business people.

WEEE

There are several kinds of E-waste. Zaigham Abbas, a technical officer from Pakistan’s Ministry of Environment broke it down thusly at the WEEE workshop in Osaka:

• Electrical Waste – switches, relays, connectors, and related scrap material;
• Telecommunication Waste – mobile phones, telephones, telephone exchanges, wireless equipment cables, and related scrap material;
• Electronic Waste – metal waste, printed circuit boards, e-equipment and machinery, IC, sockets, and connectors;
• Cable Waste – PVC, pre-insulated copper, and aluminum cable waste;
• Chemical Waste – chemical sludge and residue.

Regulatory environment

The National Environment Policy of 2005 and the Import Policy Order 2009 are designed to regulate how E-waste is managed in Pakistan, but informal recycling centers – particularly in Karachi – continue to proliferate. Often teenagers are among those who separate out the various materials that can be re-used, which can be dangerous.

Dangers vary depending on the nature of waste being handled. For example, the radioactive source in smoke alarms, Americium, is a known carcinogenic. Sulphur in batteries can cause liver damage, kidney damage, heart damage, eye and throat irritation.

E-waste is shipped to Pakistan, India, China, and many African countries because labor is cheap and environmental standards are lax, making it easier to avoid costly dismantling procedures mandated by laws in developed countries. Lacking such strong environmental oversight, informal recycling centers in Pakistan often throw their E-waste onto a massive bonfire in order to melt down plastics and expose valuable metals that can then be re-used.

Pollutants

This releases harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and black soot, all of which exacerbate respiratory problems.

Abbas admits that Pakistan lacks formal mechanisms to manage E-waste at the national level and that very little funding has been applied to research and development of suitable recycling technologies. He further emphasizes that the country lacks an inventory of e-waste and that the government has not paid sufficient attention to this issue.

Incentives for change

Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP warns of  problems that will arise if e-waste recycling is “left to the vagaries of the informal sector,” according to an article in Science Daily. He adds that establishing proper recycling facilities can have enormous benefits.

In addition to curbing health problems, boosting developing country e-waste recycling rates can have the potential to generate decent employment, cut greenhouse gas emissions and recover a wide range of valuable metals including silver, gold, palladium, copper and indium — by acting now and planning forward many countries can turn an e-challenge into an e-opportunity.

The Basel Action Network is one of the few international organizations committed to rooting out injustices associated with the global trade of E-waste. Despite the absence of national mechanisms, Nokia and Unilever both launched Take Back programs whereby customers are invited to return any brand of phone in exchange for a gift hamper. Radio FM 91, Ary Music, and United Media are among other organizations that have teamed up to make this venture a success.

Opportunity in the heaps

The bottom line

Although it is true that E-waste in Pakistan is mounting, each new heap also represents a pile of opportunities. Those thousands of tons of dumped computers and phones contain valuable raw materials that can be re-used, obviating the need for additional mining. And if done safely, formal recycling facilities can offer scores of job opportunities. A successful recycling program starts with attractive incentives, which in turns greater government participation.

More on Pakistan’s environmental situation:

Meet the Miss Pakistan of Renewable Energy

Landmark Wind Tower to be Built in Pakistan

World Bank Supports Turkey-Built Wind Plant in Pakistan

The post Mountains of Toxic E-Waste in Pakistan Are a Goldmine appeared first on Green Prophet.

German-Palestinian society NIJMAH is working on renovating a kid’s playground using natural materials and setting up a permaculture garden

Permaculture may be new to the Middle East but with Jordan hosting the recent permaculture world conference and various organic farms sprouting up, the region is slowly catching up. In Palestine, there is already a permaculture farm named ‘Bustan Qaraaqa’ in Bethlehem encouraging locals to become more food independent and now another Palestinian community wants to establish a permaculture garden for children. In Jenin, the German-Palestinian society named NIJMAH is working on renovating a playground using natural materials and establishing a small permaculture garden.

The joint venture is in the early stages but a quick look at the current playground (pictured above) shows the dire state of current facilities and real need to replace it with safe and natural materials. What NIJMAH have in mind is something like one of the creations of the German ‘Kukuk’ company which designs playgrounds using natural materials and encourages the spirit of discovery.

An Environmental Profile of Jenin

Jenin is located in the north of the West Bank and has a population of around 250,000 people. As well as struggling with environmental issues familiar to the West Bank such as water shortages and poor waste facilities, there are also concerns over the local charcoal industry which creates a lot of pollution. Respiratory illness amongst the charcoal workers, who slow burn wood to create the charcoal we use for our barbeques, is rife and also affects the surrounding areas.

A recent study also found that water wells in Jenin were contaminated with pesticides due to uncontrolled industrial and agricultural activity. As such drinking from these wells could pose a potentially high health risk.

:: Images via Wael ElSaad/facebook.

For more on Permaculture in the Middle East:

Egypt’s Urban Agriculture Movement Is Growing

Jordan To Host International Permaculture Conference

Permaculture and Empowerment for Palestinians in the West Bank

The post Jenin Playground to Get Green Makeover appeared first on Green Prophet.

Scientist Harold Vinegar says there is a huge quantity of oil shale in Israel and, despite protests and risks, he still wants to extract it

A project to explore the Elah Valley of Israel (pictured above) for oil shale has been underway since 2008 and despite protests from locals and environmental campaigners, those behind the project state that they are optimistic and will continue to work towards extracting the oil shale.

In an extensive interview with the Jerusalem Post, ex-Shell scientist Harold Vinegar who is part of the Israel Energy Initiatives (IEI) behind the oil shale venture, insists that Israel has the potential to extract “250 billion barrels of oil and perhaps more” using cleaner and cheaper techniques.

Cleaner and Cheaper Method of Oil Shale Extraction?

Harold Vinegar, 63, who was chief scientist at Royal Dutch Shell until 2008 explains that he has helped develop a cleaner method of extracting oil shale that is less polluting. This method consists of extracting the oil shale using heat rather than huge quantities of water and chemical which is involved in ‘fracking’. The company hopes to start a pilot by the end of the year to demonstrate that Vinegar’s heating method works and has ‘no negative effects on the environment’. The article adds that the ‘process is not supposed to release any poisonous gases, and the oil produced will be very easy to refine.’

Unknown Risks and Environmental Protests

Local residents, however, insists that the IEI’s technology is unproven and involves various environmental risks- some known and others unknown. Rachel Jacobson who is fighting the oil shale project spoke to Green Prophet back in April and said, “It’s hard to narrow down our list of concerns, there are so many unknowns! Among our largest is that this technique has never been implemented on the industrial scale being proposed here.

“Israel is an extremely small country, with a very small margin of error. In the United States, a site like the one being proposed here would have to be located about 50 km from the nearest town, while here, the nearest residential area is barely two kilometers away. Additional concerns for the immediate area include the potential risk of increased local air and ground (soil) pollution, increased noise and oil factory pollution, and other potential hazards.”

Threat to Shared Water Supplies

Concerns have also been raised over the fact that the site is near an underground water aquifer which is shared between Israel and Palestinians in the West Bank. Although the company has insisted that the risk of contamination is small, Mihkel Harm from the World Energy Council told the BBC that the process being proposing to extract the oil shale “is hard to control and might pose a risk for groundwater.”

Vinegar however insists that the issue and its dangers have been “blown up out of all proportion.” He also added that he remains very optimistic about the project and was sure that the pilot would succeed: “One of our jobs is to demonstrate that this venture caries no dangers, and we will do that in the pilot.”

:: Jerusalem Post.

:: Image via Save Adullum Facebook page.

For more on oil shale exploration in Israel see:

Israelis Fight Oil Shale

Israeli Black Globe Awards Went to IEI For Oil Shale Agenda

Oil & Wine Don’t Mix: Over 1,000 Israelis Protest Oil Shale In Adulum

Open Letter To David de Rothschild: Stop Your Family’s Oil Shale Exploration

The post Ex-Shell Scientist Insists Israeli Oil Shale Is Still A Possibility appeared first on Green Prophet.