Ministers approve plan to reduce pollution by vehicles

The Ministerial Committee on the Environment and Hazardous Materials unanimously approved Sunday a plan to reduce vehicle pollution.

The plan is considered a national priority project, and was presented by Minister of National Infrastructures Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and Minister for Environmental Protection Gideon Ezra. According to the two ministers, the new plan will put Israel at the forefront of nations acting to improve environmental quality.

The most dangerous form of pollution in Israel's big cities comes from vehicles, which severely threatens public health. Ezra said that over 100 people die a year in the Dan region from air pollution.

In addition to the local health problems, the pollutants include greenhouse gases that exacerbate global warming.

The plan approved Sunday is intended to significantly decrease dangerous levels of air pollution as well as decreasing fuel consumption and reducing traffic.

The plan includes new, severe standards for automobile exhaust gases. It includes rules limiting pollutants from diesel vehicles as well as carbon dioxide emission levels for gasoline-powered cars.

The green police will be allowed to remove from the roads vehicles that exceed the limits. In addition, all government and public transport will gradually switch to fuel-saving and environmentally friendly vehicles.

Starting in January 2008 the Transportation Ministry and the Tel Aviv municipality will limit entry to the city's center of diesel vehicles more than five-years old, unless they have emission controls installed.

Also included in the plan is the disposal of old cars in return for payments to their owners. Roadside emission tests will also be reinstated. Employees will be encouraged to travel to work on public transport. Vehicle taxes will take into account an environmental rating.

A study will be made on the use of electric cars to be recharged from the national electric grid within a year. Also, financial incentives for alternative fuels made from non-petroleum sources will be set within 90 days, as well as replacements for diesel fuel.