Millions invested in Israeli recycling programme

Israel – The Ministry of Environmental Protection in Israel has granted 250 million shekels (US$ 70 million) to private entrepreneurs and local authorities to promote the construction of 20 facilities for the treatment of organic waste and transfer stations for sorting throughout the country. According to the government, these facilities are a vital and complementing link in the implementation of the separation of waste at source programme introduced in Israel.

In total, some 600 million shekels (about US$ 165 million) will be invested in the construction of recycling and waste-to-energy facilities over the next three years (40% by the ministry and 60% by entrepreneurs/local authorities). The facilities will treat some 8000 tonnes of waste per day – about two-thirds of the quantity of municipal waste generated in Israel.

The plans cover: the sorting of waste into its different components at transfer stations, with recyclables going to material recovery facilities; and treatment of the organic fraction which constitutes some 40% of the municipal waste, and its transfer to composting and anaerobic digestion facilities.

The material recovery facilities and transfer stations will receive the waste, sort it and provide for its recycling, thereby saving an estimated 900 million shekels (US$ 220 million) worth of raw materials which were previously landfilled every year.