According to assessments made by professionals in this area,
each year about 200 thousand tons of industrial wastes contaminated with hazardous materials are produced as by products.
In the world at large, this number reaches about four billion tons a year!
Treatment of organic waste containing hazardous materials requires special technologies, and facilities that utilize them in conversion processes to produce energy from waste.
In Israel, as of now, no conversion of hazardous waste is done; hence, it is sent for burial in the ground or controlled incineration, pursuant to the Hazardous Materials Law of 1993.
However, conversion of waste is practiced outside of Israel; thus, it may be exported in the aim of reducing costs.
The export of hazardous materials is done according to the Basel Convention on which 133 countries from around the world are signed, including Israel.
Export of hazardous materials is carried out in accordance with the Basel Convention [on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal] on which 133 countries around the world (including Israel) are signed.
The Basel Convention was signed in the wake of uncontrolled export of hazardous industrial waste to third world countries, and the resulting harm caused.
The Basel Convention is designed to enable these countries to rehabilitate.
According to the Basel Convention, a country may export hazardous waste only to another country signed on the treaty, provided that is has designated facilities capable of treating hazardous materials. Under the law in Israel, neither a private person nor a corporation may deal in hazardous materials, unless a special permit is given by the commissioner in the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
This authorization is granted for the purpose of export to suitable countries only. It is estimated that each year about 20 thousand tons of hazardous waste are exported from Israel.
Conversion
Conversion of hazardous waste is a sensitive process that requires suitable equipment, certification and supervision. The hazardous waste is exported to suitable facilities located mainly in Europe, and
subject to special certifications and permits issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the State of Israel. The costs of treating hazardous materials for conversion are lower abroad and, ultimately, exporting the waste there helps protect the environment since that waste ultimately undergoes conversion to green energy instead of harming the environment. The waste sent for conversion is mainly organic, with high caloric value, and is used mainly to produce electricity and steam in the conversion plants abroad.
The separation of organic liquids is performed using unique technologies, capable of treating different types of waste: solvents, printing wastes, and organic-based paint.
