COUNTRY REPORT EVALUATIONCourse Name

( Risk Assessment & Monitoring For Environmental Chemicals )Presented By

Nidal Mahmoud

Telefax : 00972 (0)42433770 Telefax=00972(0)22403495

mobile =00972 599836971Email: nidal_seifein@yahoo.com

MARS /08/2005

STATE OF PALESTINEMINSTRY OF THE ENVIROMENT

Main Menu • Introduction• Organanization Chart• Environmental Situation in Palestine• Major Environmental Problem• Air and Noise Pollution• Quarrying and Crushing Stone• Future Challenges and

Recommendation• Obstacles

IntroductionPalestine is the ancient name of a Middle Eastern country situated on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean sea. Its size has varied greatly throughout its history and its exact border are even now in dispute.

. The West Bank

The West Bank is a term used to mean the disputed lands located West of the Jordan River between Israel and and Jordan. Its area is about 5900 sq km and its holds many sites of religious importance's to Jews, Christian and Muslims. The largest cities the West Bank are Heron and Nobles

The Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip is a narrow area of desert land along the Western Mediterranean Sea. It is about 42km long and 6.5 to 8km wide.The Gaza Strip is Densely populated. The majority are refugees from Israel who have lived under extremely difficult condition in refugee camps since 1984

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-The total area of the West Bank and Gaza ia around 6185 sq. km.In these areas the population is around 2.9 million, of which males are almost 50.8%.

-The Palestinian population growth rate is one of the highest in the world as it exceed 5.5%annualy. The population density in the West Bank is almost 331 person/km2 while in Gaza is about 2805 person/km2.

-The population of the West Bank and Gaza is very young, almost half of the population is under the age of 15 years, and only 3.5% are above 65 years, this contributes to the future aggravation of the Environmental situation

Organization ChartChair ManChair Man

Policy Planning&InformationCooperation

Policy Planning&InformationCooperation

EvironmEnentalProtection

EvironmEnentalProtection

Finance&Administration

Finance&Administration

EnvironmentalInformation&

Education

EnvironmentalInformation&

Education

Direction GeneralDirection GeneralTraining unitTraining unit

Nature&Biodiversity

Nature&Biodiversity

WaterWater

Marine Coastal

Management

Marine Coastal

Management

Toxic&WateToxic&WateFinancingFinancing

Human Resources

Human Resources

Public warness&Education

Public warness&Education

EnvironmentalEducationSystem

EnvironmentalEducationSystem

Policy&Planning

Policy&Planning

Legislation&Standards

Legislation&Standards

Project Development&Cooperation

Project Development&Cooperation

Regional InternCooperation

Regional InternCooperation

AssessmentMonitoring&

Licensing

AssessmentMonitoring&

Licensing

AdministrationAdministration

• This is the old chart of our organization. • Our department part of the Environmental

protection.• My job is head section of Monitoring and

controlling section for all the • Elements ,which causes the pollution to the

Environmental.• We give also the instruction to the responsible

people in order to • Reduce the pollution as much as possible.

Environmental Situation in Palestine-Shortage and pollution of resources, occupied with very high population growth.

-few job opportunities and long years of negligence due to the Israeli occupation ,have created many environmental hazards shortage of water

-deterioration of water quality constitute a limiting factor in the economic development of Palestine .

The environmental problems in Palestine are most caused by

-the demographic momentum : -the very high birth rate ,-low age of population and the high dependency rate.

- Israeli occupation and the shortage of strong central environmental management contributed to the indifference - lake of awareness of the needs and means of achieving acceptable environmental standards.

Major environmental problems

1) Depletation of water resources.2) Deterioration of water quality.3) Depletation of natural resources.4) Land degradation.5) Air and noise pollution 6) Shoreline and the marine pollution 7) Deterioration of nature and biodiversity 8) Landscape and aesthetic distortion. 9) Threats of cultural heritage.

Air and Noise Pollution

Air pollution in the West Bank

-Transportation contributes about 40-50% to the air pollution of the West Bank -Charcoal industry is the main source of pollution

Air pollution in Gazain Gaza the air pollution the high density of:-Traffic and the average old age of the cars mainly cause problem -The industrial coastal zone in Israel, especially from the coal -50% of total air pollution is produced from traffic As dud refinery

Main air pollution in Gaza Strip

Type of source Location types of air contaminates

Treatment plant Beit Hanoun H2S,NH3,CH4

Concrete All Area Dust

Gas station All Area Hydrocarbons

Bakeries All Area Co,CO2,SO2

Batteries Gaza Pb

Asphalt, mixing Factory

Jabalia,Gaza Dust,CO,CO2,So2

Tiles Beit Hanoun Dust,Hydrccarbons

Textile Gaza CO,SO2

Pains Gaza Hydrocarbons

Fodder Gaza NH3,SO2

Quantities of Air pollution in the West Bank

District No/facilities % in each district

Air Pollution ton/yr

Bethlehem 141 20 20000

Hebron 134 19 19490

Jenin 134 19 22443

Jerusalem 5 0.71 933

Nablus 140 19.8 24800

Ramallah 67 9.5 11559

Tolkarem 85 12 18900

Total 706 100 118125

Noise Pollution Noise is defined as an excessive or unwanted sound such as vibration in air,water,steel,or other substances. The decibel (dB)is used to describe the sound level. The decibel scale ranges from zero the threshold of hearing) to about a 140 dB,the onset of pain

Quarrying ,stone Crushing and stone –processing

Industry -Quarrying and stone processing are considered the leading industries in the West Bank,and also major contributors to environmental degradation and pollution

-There are about 700 units distributed all over the West Bank, employing about 3500 workers. Most of these units are located in residential and agricultural areas the following figure shows the air pollution produced from stone quarries in the West Bank

Future Challenges and Recommendation

-Set up a system for monitoring of ambient air quality as will as ambient air

-Encouraging the use public transportation-Imported fuel oil ,especially gasoline and diesel

-Formulate a comprehensive national plan to prevent causes of air pollution

-Designate certain areas for craft and industries-Encouraging a national program to spread environmental

awareness among the Palestinian people -Formulate emergency Reponses to pollution incident,

especially chemical,bilogical, and nuclear waste from Israel

O b s t a c l e s

The following obstacles can be summarized as follows;

1-Air and noise pollution do not considered as a high priority as water

2-Shortage of financial resources and technical capabilities in the area of development activies,research,studies and the monitoring needed for pollution control.

3-Using old technology in industries, which do not take environmental consideration in the account

4-Low level of environmental a wariness

• The Environmental Situation in Palestine• is in a very bad State

• It is deteriorating future….. The Situation has reached a stage that is threading to health

A stage well below acceptable standards…

therefore

Dealing with the environmental in Palestine in an effective way has become a top priority