Clean Air Law
The aim of Israel’s Clean Air Law is to improve air quality, to prevent and reduce air pollution by implementing both prohibitions and obligations according to the precautionary principle, to protect the health and quality of life of human beings, as well as to protect the environment. The Clean Air Law addresses emission sources (including ICL’s plants and facilities), and it is intended to serve as a platform for implementing the IPPC directive adopted by the European Union in 1996.
All of ICL’s plants in Israel have received updated air emission permits in recent years.
All ICL’s plants in Israel have received updated air emission permits in recent years. These permits include provisions regarding the application of BAT (Best Available Technology), as well as monitoring, control and reporting to Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection. ICL is also taking steps to implement a plan to address the requirements of the air emission permits, in coordination with the Ministry of Environmental Protection.
In 2019, ICL invested approx. $37 million in new equipment and upgrades in Israeli production sites, to comply with the requirements of the clean air law.
ICL is investing in order to reduce its impact on the environment. In 2019, ICL spent approximately $113 million on environmental matters, of which approximately $51 million were capital projects in property, plant and equipment. In order to comply with the Israeli Clean Air Law and the emission permits, ICL will make additional significant capital investments in the areas of environmental protection, over the next few years. The Company planned to spend approximately $130 million on environmental protection in 2020, of which approximately $70 million are capital projects in property, plant and equipment.
ICL has made significant investments, to comply with emission permits, already resulting in significant reduction. For example, SOx emissions were reduced by 26% VS 2018, and by 45% VS 2017. In addition, NOx emissions were reduced by 5% in 2019 VS 2018, and by 24% VS 2017. Further reductions are expected in the upcoming years.
Reducing Air Emission at ICL’s Sites in Israel
ICL Rotem
During the years 2018 and 2019, both sulphuric acid plants in Rotem replaced and upgraded their catalyst systems, in order to reduce SO2 emissions, by over 30%. These replacements have reduced overall SO2 emissions at Rotem by 50%, and were the prominent factor in the significant reduction in global ICL SOx emissions mentioned above. In addition, and in order to further reduce emissions, in 2019 the site covered 4 green acid storage pools, and 3 isoamil recovery lines were connected in the WPA plant. The site installed, in recent years, on-fence monitoring systems that report on-line parameters to the environmental authorities. The monitoring systems are in the final stage of receiving ISO 17025 permit. In addition, the Law has set new challenges regarding liquid waste management and additional GHG emissions, which are related to some of the required new air emissions measures. In order, to meet these challenges, during 2019 Rotem operated 6 pilots involving new technologies designed to reduce these impacts.
Emission Permit under the Israeli Clean Air Act: In 2018, the Company conducted two risk assessments by external experts regarding the possibility to execute all the clean air tasks required by the emission permit, as per their approved timeline. The risk assessments focused on the technical and safety considerations arising from implementation of a large number of parallel projects in an industrial site. The assessments indicated that there is no operational feasibility to implement all project requirements of the permit within the defined timeline, and accordingly the Company is unable to meet the timeline set in the current permit. In 2019, following discussions with the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection (hereinafter – MoE), the MoE informed the Company that during the course of discussions to renew Rotem’s emission permit, which currently remains unchanged, they will consider the safety constraints, the complexity and multiplicity of projects, as well as the Company’s diligence to comply with the present permit conditions and their schedules, while prioritizing projects with significant environmental impact. The Company provided the MoE with its updated projects’ outline, schedule and completion status. The Company continuously updates the MoE on its compliance with the updated projects’ outline.
ICL Haifa Fertilizers & Chemicals (F&C)
ICL’s Haifa (F&C) converted to natural gas during 2018, facilitating a significant reduction in NOx emissions. The site is also installing new treatment equipment in its Nitrous Acid plant, aimed to reduce NOx and N2O emissions.
ICL Dead Sea Works (DSW)
ICL DSW operates three air quality monitoring stations that were renewed during 2019. The data is measured on a continuous basis and is automatically transmitted to the MoE, and is accessible to the general public. In 2018, the new NG-based and highly efficient CHP (combined heat and power) plant in Sodom became fully operational. The plant now supplies most of the electricity to all ICL Israel sites, and 2019 was its first year of full operation. The high efficiency of the new plant and its boilers have significantly reduced the site’s Nitrogen Oxide emissions, and were the main cause for the overall Global ICL reduction in NOx emissions mentioned above. The reduction was achieved despite the significant increase in natural gas combustion in the new plant, with the switch to self-produced electricity.
ICL Dead Sea Magnesium (DSM)
ICL DSM produces mainly inorganic emissions. Some of the exhaust stacks are monitored in accordance with the terms of the emission permit issued to the Company. In 2018, new detectors were installed. These on-site detectors send online warnings to the environmental authorities. In coordination with the MoE, the site initiated a major project to install an additional system, aimed to reduce the PM (Particulate Matter) emissions from the main stack, the completion of which is expected in the coming years. The expected result will be a stable reduction, according to the requirements.
ICL Neot-Hovav
ICL Neot Hovav operates advanced monitoring and detection methods to identify malfunctions and applies IED methodologies, which provide guidance regarding all of the techniques for preventing and monitoring emissions into the environment. Investments were made to improve recycling and recovery, as well as reduction of emissions of solvents and other organic materials via activated carbon systems. The site also installed catalytic oxidizing technologies that reduce VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions and complies with advanced values in accordance with the BAT (Best Available Technology). Absorption systems were installed/upgraded in the site’s inorganic production systems. Filters were installed and upgraded to prevent PM emissions from the solids’ handling systems. Sealing of diffused emissions in the loading and unloading areas was applied. Ongoing work is being executed for the LDAR (Leak Detection and Repair) program – control and treatment of fugitive emissions with the assistance of an external company from Europe.
ICL Periclase
During 2018, Periclase installed an air emissions treatment facility for the Magnesia manufacturing process. In 2019, a successful test-run was conducted, which met the air emissions permit requirements. The installation of the new facility continues.
The reduction of air emissions is a global effort. To read more about ICL’s actions regarding the Clean Air Law in Israel, as well as the applicable laws that are in effect at ICL’s other sites please see pp. 79-83 in ICL’s 2019 Annual Report.
