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Small Arab villages serve as models for waste recycling in Israel By Zafrir Rinat Tags: environment, Israel Much of the trash produced by the small Galilee village of Ras al-Ayn has been making its way to the home of Naif Sweid in recent months. Thanks to his initiative, partnered with the environmental non-profit grass-roots group Eretz Carmel, the villagers have begun separating their trash. Organic waste (mainly kitchen scraps and garden clippings) goes into a composter in Sweid's yard, where it becomes fertilizer. "We gave every family instructions, and once a week I collect the trash," Sweid says. "We mix it with garden waste, and I hope we will soon be able to give the families fertilizer in return. I believe that all 60 families will soon be separating their trash." Dr. Doron Lavi of Tel Hai Academic College says Ras al-Ayn can become a model for widespread waste recycling in Israel. In large municipalities, "residents would toss trash into two separate bins, for wet and dry waste. The local authority would collect the bins separately. Wet waste would be sent to a composting plant; dry waste would go to a sorting facility. Recyclables would be removed, and only the rest would go to a landfill." Advertisement Israel's trash has increased by a third in the past five years, but the available landfill area keeps shrinking. Israel currently recycles about 20 percent of its waste, half the amount common in most European countries. But that is set to increase soon. The Eretz Carmel organization, founded in 2006 by Amiad Lapidot, operates trash-sorting programs in several dozen Arab villages. It plans to extend the project within four years to 100,000 families, including in Tel Aviv neighborhoods. Besides a growing environmental awareness among Israelis, the expected recycling boost has financial logic. Recycling has become more attractive after a tax was levied on burying waste last year, making landfills a pricier option for local authorities. Dr. Lavi says the tax will bring in NIS 200 million within four years, and the law stipulates it must be spent on promoting recycling. The Environmental Protection Ministry plans to help out by building waste sorting stations. There is more good news: Last year the tire recycling law went into effect, obligating tire shops and importers to recycle. A law for recycling packaging is currently in the early stages of passage. In mushroom-farm squabble, it's not just the compost that stinks The beginner's guide for the green consumer Bookmark to del.icio.us   Basic training IDF soldiers who taught Georgian troops keep an eye on the recent conflict. Boot camp 200 Palestinian teens graduate from Hamas summer school, prepare for battle with Israel.   1.   Biased Nonsense! 09:21  |  Joel Busner 11/08/08   2.   to joel b. 11:41  |  lbg 11/08/08   3.   Good idea. Will the Jews pick up this idea? 22:15  |  Goy 11/08/08

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