Updated: 28/06/2010
The Ministry of Environmental Protection launched a long-term project entitled "Clean Coast" on June 20, 2005. Its aim: to solve the problem of litter on Israel's beaches, a third of which is washed ashore from the sea and the rest left by vacationers and bathers. The project seeks to promote a variety of solutions to the litter problem along the country's Mediterranean coastline, especially its undeclared beaches - making up some 130 kilometers out of Israel's 190 kilometer-long coastline. The program is being implemented by the Ministry of Environmental Protection in cooperation with the Nature and Parks Authority and the Union of Local Authorities in Israel. Within the framework of the program, the Ministry of Environmental Protection covers 70% of the costs of beach cleanups, with the remaining 30% financed by the local authority. The latter employs its own contractors and bears responsibility for cleanups in its jurisdiction. All of Israel's local authorities have joined the program, committing themselves to cleaning all undeclared beaches in their jurisdiction at least twice a week during the bathing season and once a week during the rest of the year. Components of the "Clean Coast" Project
The program includes several complementary components aimed at generating a change in public awareness of the importance of beach cleanliness: - Routine cleanup activities by local authorities.
- Enforcement against polluters of the coasts.
- Educational activities in the country's schools and youth movements.
- Information and publicity activities.
Inspectors of the Nature and Parks Authority and of the Ministry of Environmental Protection are responsible for supervising the cleanups. Enforcement activities are initiated against local authorities which fail to clean their coastlines. Recent Results An analysis of the results of the Clean Coast Program for 2009 demonstrates an improvement in cleanliness levels along Israel's undeclared beaches. The year began with a score of "moderate" which stabilized at "clean" later in the year. On annual average, 60% of the coasts were found clean 60% of the time. The Clean Coast program continues in 2010 with the intention of providing cleaner beaches to the public. The goal is to achieve a score of clean in 70% of the country's undeclared beaches during 70% of the time. Coastal cleanliness will be measured by means of the Clean Coast Index on a weekly basis during the bathing season. International Acclaim for the Clean Coast Project Within the framework of a comprehensive report on the status of marine litter in seas and coasts, published by the United Nations Environment Programme's Regional Seas Programme and the Ocean Conservancy in April 2009, Israel is cited for its Clean Coast Program. In the Mediterranean chapter of the publication entitled "Marine Litter: A Global Challenge," Israel's Clean Coast Program, which has been operated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection since 2005, with the active participation of local authorities and the general public, is specifically mentioned. The publication notes that quantifiable results "showed a significant improvement in coastal cleanliness" and that this was achieved "in cooperation with inspectors of the Marine and Coastal Environment Division, wide-scale media coverage and long-term educational plans and cooperation with organizations."
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