A new study has examined the connection between air pollution in the Haifa District and the rates of cancer in the area, finding morbidity rates higher than the national average in areas located closer to the petrochemical factories in the city.
The Israeli researchers published maps in the prestigious Environmental Research journal showing which areas of Haifa and its surroundings have the highest rates of lung cancer and non-hodgkin lymphoma—two types of cancer linked to air pollution.
In recent years, Israel\’s Health Ministry determined that there is a connection between the morbidity rates in the Haifa District and the air pollution in the area, which is caused by the petrochemical factories located in the heart of the bay, among other factors. The Environmental Protection Ministry, meanwhile, stressed that air pollution caused by vehicles also plays a major role in the emission of dangerous pollutants in the area.
But while the two ministries agreed that the level of air pollution in the area was extreme, experts disagreed on whether it posed a concrete risk to the residents\’ health; if so, in what way; and which areas were the hot spots.
Several months ago, researchers from the Haifa University released the conclusions of a study they conducted, in which they argued that air pollution was responsible for the high levels of morbidity in the area. One of the findings in their study, which caused much controversy, was that babies born in Haifa and the surrounding areas were born with smaller heads.