In a move to reduce pollution, two Israeli cities have banned single-use plastics from beaches

It is no secret that Israel has an obvious plastic problem. The consumption of disposable plastics is constantly increasing, producing around a million tons of plastic waste each year. The implications are as obvious as they are devastating. Waste between Israel’s Mediterranean coasts is among the highest in the region. Microplastic particles floating off the coast are poisoning marine life, and poor waste management leads to overflowing landfills, polluting surrounding ecosystems.

Now, two cities in Israel have declared war on intolerable plastic pollution along their beaches by announcing strict regulatory measures.

One such city, Herzliya, is located in central Israel, just north of Tel Aviv, and is known as one of the most affluent communities in the country. The city’s beaches are a popular recreational destination with tourists and locals alike. Despite its reputation for being a clean and environmentally friendly municipality, its beaches have not been spared from the plastic problem, which increasingly affects many of Israel’s beautiful Mediterranean coastlines.

A new municipal regulation aims to change the tide of plastic waste by banning all disposable plastic products on local beaches. Once enacted, any Herzliya beach goer who violates the law by bringing single-use items, such as glasses, bottles, utensils or plastic bags, will face a fine.

The regulation will be implemented as part of the “City without Plastics” initiative, a joint effort by the Herzliya municipality and Zalul (“clear”), an Israeli environmental NGO. The initiative was launched as a pilot project in January 2018, with the aim of gradually reducing the use of disposable plastic products in Herzliya. Over a period of two years, all municipal authorities will begin to discontinue the use of single-use plastics.

In an interview, Herzliya Mayor Moshe Fadlon said: “This law is a very important step for the environment and future generations. It is our contribution to a cleaner and healthier environment; to reduce environmental damage that will harm the world in which we and our children live. “

Additionally, Fadlon, who is keen to take the new law to a national level, wants to create a domino effect and persuade other cities to follow suit.

“As deputy head of local government, I will work to ensure that other cities adopt the proposal and will work to enact a national law in the Knesset that will force all authorities to enforce the law,” Fadlon stressed. .

By adopting a plastic ban on the beaches of Herzliya, the municipality wants to tackle two problems at once. The first is the direct and aesthetic impact on the beaches, and the second, the prevention of plastic waste that is washed into the sea, which helps to limit the adverse effects on marine life.

Marine plastic has become one of the most pressing ecological problems in the world. Each year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste reaches the world’s oceans through rivers, urban runoff, and sewage systems. Almost all plastic materials are not degradable and persist in the environment for thousands of years, posing a serious threat to marine ecosystems. Plastic waste is often mistaken for food with fish or other marine mammals, causing them to die from suffocation or poisoning.

In addition, all microplastics can enter the food web through small organisms that ingest the particles and can ultimately affect humans. Although the effects of microplastics consumption on human health are not yet known, several studies have found considerable amounts of plastic particles in commercial fish.

The second city is Eilat, located in the extreme south and the only entrance to the Red Sea. Now he’s also taking a stand against plastic pollution. Known for its stunning coral reefs and diverse marine life, Eilat has long become an ideal destination for divers from around the world. However, tourism always comes at a cost, especially when there are no proper environmental policies.

Like Herzliya, the Eilat municipality has implemented a statute that will prohibit not only the use of plastic disposables, but also the sale of single-use items, such as straws, in stores located in front of the sea.

As a first step, a large-scale awareness campaign is planned to educate beach visitors, businesses and residents about the adverse effects of plastic on the environment and marine life. The campaign, which will be promoted through social media platforms and billboards across the city, was started as a collaborative project of the Eilat Municipality, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel. and local organizations and volunteers.

To support the campaign and the new bill, underwater photographer Ziggy Livnat and American artist Heather Nisbett-Lowenstein organized an exhibition called “Red Sea Plastic Free.” The exhibition contains a wide range of different works of art by international artists illustrating the destructive impact of plastic waste on the marine environment and is geared towards the need to get rid of plastic consumption.

The decision to reduce plastic consumption in Eilat coincides with an announcement by Egypt’s Red Sea Governorate to ban all single-use plastics from this month. This double ban on disposable products could have a greater and more lasting impact on the Red Sea region than expected.

Although they are the first cities in Israel to plan to stamp out plastic pollution, Eilat and Herzliya are simply two newcomers to a full-blown global movement. Many cities and countries around the world have promised or already taken strong action against disposable plastic materials.

In December, Peru passed a federal law to eliminate single-use plastic bags over the course of three years. In 2017, Chile banned plastic bags in all its coastal cities. Seattle has become the first city in the US to properly enact a ban on disposable plastic products, not only on bags, but also on single-use plastic straws and utensils. Furthermore, the EU decided to go against plastics and passed a law according to which single-use plastics will be banned in all member states from 2021.