Ministry of Environmental Protection

The Ministry of Environmental Protection approved financial support and professional guidance for 11 local authorities, totaling approximately 16.7 million shekels, to strengthen their preparedness for climate change.

Climate change brings direct challenges to the daily lives of all residents of Israel, with extreme events such as floods and extreme heatwaves expected to worsen in the coming decades. The support is intended to help authorities prepare for heatwaves, deal with the phenomenon of urban heat islands, and reduce emissions. All of this will be done through shading and cooling of public spaces, promoting renewable energy infrastructure in buildings, establishing drainage infrastructure, and strengthening community resilience.

Idit Silman, Minister of Environmental Protection: “Climate change is a national and international challenge, but preparedness begins here, in our cities and communities. The Ministry of Environmental Protection is investing in green infrastructure and the development of innovative solutions that will strengthen local authorities and the public. Through these investments, we are turning the challenge into an opportunity for healthier lives, a sustainable environment, and more resilient and pleasant cities for all citizens of Israel.”

Planning and planting trees in the urban space in Arab communities

After supporting dozens of local authorities with approximately 44 million shekels in the last three years, the Ministry published a dedicated call for proposals for authorities in the Arab sector as part of Government Decision 550.

This call for proposals will help authorities plan and plant trees and promote shading solutions as part of their preparedness for the warming of the urban space. Trees are essential green infrastructure that reduces heat loads, contributes to public health and improves quality of life, and stimulates local economic activity.

These are the authorities that won the call for proposals, totaling 14.5 million shekels: Rahat, Umm al-Fahm, Reineh, Arrabeh, Kseife.

The Ministry is also working to create in-depth professional guidance totaling 1.5 million shekels in cooperation with “Derech Tzel” from the Green Building Council.

Promoting pilots of green roofs integrated with photovoltaic panels

The Ministry published a call for proposals to encourage pilot programs for green roofs integrated with photovoltaic panels. Integrated roofs are an innovative and multi-beneficial solution in Israel. They contribute to cooling the building itself and reducing heat loads, help delay surface runoff in the urban space within the substrate layer of the green roof, generate renewable energy, and cool the urban space, not just the building itself. This integration allows for efficient use of building roofs while increasing the resilience of cities and communities in Israel to extreme climate conditions.

These are the authorities that won the call for proposals, totaling 575 thousand shekels: Petah Tikva, Maghar, Rosh Ha’ayin, Herzliya, Deir al-Asad.

The Ministry is also working to create in-depth professional guidance and establish infrastructure for continued support in this area, totaling 150 thousand shekels, in cooperation with “Gag Organization” from Muslala.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection views local authorities as a central partner in preparing for climate change and reducing heat loads in the urban space. The new support is intended to provide authorities with practical and effective tools to deal with the growing challenges. The cooperation with the authorities ensures that the solutions will be planned and implemented according to local needs to improve the quality of life of residents and create a healthier and more resilient urban space.

An opening meeting for the work of the inter-ministerial team for the regulation of the waste sector will take place on Monday, January 12. Senior representatives from Government Ministries and Local Government will participate in the meeting, and the regulation work outline, which will be carried out in cooperation with all relevant parties, will be presented. 

Recently, and within the framework of staff work that has lasted for two years, the Ministry is leading an accelerated development of a national infrastructure array for waste treatment: The Ministry is initiating active planning of end-of-line facilities across the country, supporting the establishment and operation of facilities of various types, and advancing their planning in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance, the Accountant General, and the local authorities.

At the same time, the Ministry is advancing central legislative and regulatory moves in the waste field, including the Construction Waste Law, the Amendment to the Packaging Law, the Amendment to the Deposit Law, and additional regulation processes.

In the past year, the Maintenance of Cleanliness Fund recorded, for the first time, a volume of expenses higher than its income, among other things for the benefit of supporting end-of-line facilities, promoting a circular economy, and assisting local authorities in routine and emergency situations.

In light of this aggregate of moves, comprehensive regulation is required that will anchor the environmental principles of the waste sector, ensure a long-term budgetary source for their funding, and regulate the activity of all factors in the sector. Thus it will be possible to prevent damage to the environment, ensure fair activity, and provide quality and proper services to the residents of the State.

According to a Government Decision, an inter-ministerial team convened to examine the waste sector in Israel. The team will define goals as is customary in advanced countries, examine the organizational structure suitable for managing the sector, and formulate solutions for a modern, environmental, and efficient waste sector.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection will lead the regulation work with the aim of creating a waste sector based on advanced principles, including reducing waste generation, promoting a circular economy, producing energy from waste, and reducing landfilling according to the waste treatment hierarchy, simultaneously with maintaining functional continuity and reducing environmental crime.

The Decade Report of Leket Israel and BDO (Hebrew), in collaboration with the ministry of Environmental Protection and the Ministry of Health, is being released today, indicating that over the past decade, the Israeli economy has lost food with a cumulative value of 211 billion ₪.

Although the Israeli consumer wastes less food, registering a 13.3% decrease in per capita loss, from 300 to 260 kg per year, the rise in the cost of living and population growth ensure that the overall volume of loss remains exceptionally high.

In 2024 alone, 2.6 million tons of food were discarded in Israel, valued at 26.2 billion ₪. This quantity represents 39% of all food produced in Israel – equivalent to 1.3% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In the household consumption segment alone, this constitutes a loss of 10 billion ₪, an annual cost of 10,785 ₪ per household. This occurs while approximately 1.5 million residents in Israel, representing some 485,000 households, live in conditions of food insecurity and are uncertain whether they will be able to afford proper and healthy food until the end of the month.

The scope of food loss in Israel is not only economic; it exacts a heavy environmental and health price. According to the report, the environmental cost of food loss is estimated at approximately 4.2 billion ₪ annually, which includes wasted water and land resources, pollutant emissions, and waste treatment.

Concurrently, the health cost resulting from food insecurity stands at 5.8 billion ₪ per year, approximately 4% of national health expenditures, posing increasing challenges to the healthcare system.

Since the publication of the State Comptroller’s Report in 2015, which pointed to the absence of a comprehensive policy on the matter, the Leket Israel organization has led a fundamental change in policy and public awareness. Over the past decade, the Law for the Encouragement and Rescue of Food was amended, food rescue and food security issues were integrated into the National Food Security Program, and food rescue was included in the Ministry of Welfare’s support criteria, establishing principles for inter-ministerial measurement and action.

In 2025, a governmental program for the reduction of food loss and waste was published for the first time, led by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture. The program presents clear channels of action for addressing the challenge and, for the first time, also includes national targets for reducing loss and rescuing food. The totality of these actions is designed to stop the loss of billions of shekels and benefit the public in the middle and lower socio-economic strata who bear a very heavy financial burden.

Idit Silman, Minister of Environmental Protection: “The food loss report presents a bleak picture that must now be changed. The Ministry of Environmental Protection, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, recently published a National Program for the Reduction of Food Loss and Waste in Israel. The program outlines the path for confronting food loss in Israel and provides an environmental, socio-economic response to one of the greatest challenges facing Israel’s food systems. Food rescue is a fundamental step in building a sustainable food economy, one that will reduce the burden on households, narrow social gaps, and minimize Israel’s environmental footprint. The Ministry will continue to work toward implementing the program through budgetary anchoring and inter-ministerial and multi-sectoral cooperation for the benefit of Israel’s citizens”.

Gidi Kroch, CEO of Leket Israel: “211 billion ₪ worth of food was discarded in one decade. This is a national failure with no moral, environmental, social, or economic justification. After a decade of awareness, the time has come for action. We must stop throwing food away and start rescuing it. Leket Israel, the national food rescue organization, has proven for years that the solution exists – it is possible to rescue viable food, turn waste into a resource, and connect abundance with scarcity. For 22 years, the organization has been working with thousands of farmers, producers, retail chains, and volunteers to rescue high-quality, viable food, which is distributed to hundreds of thousands of families in Israel. According to the report’s data, every shekel invested in food rescue yields a value of 10.7 ₪ to the national economy – a cost-effective, immediate, and sustainable solution. The State must act to provide adequate funding in order to achieve the single, clear national goal: Israel without food loss”.

Dr. Moran Blaychfeld Magnazi, Director of the Nutrition Division at the Ministry of Health: “The Ministry of Health views the reduction of food loss and food rescue as highly important for confronting food insecurity and promoting healthy and sustainable nutrition. Increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables among these populations can lead to a significant improvement in their health, and in addition to improving quality of life, also save the economy considerable costs. The Ministry is a partner in formulating the National Food Security Program and in drafting the National Outline for Food Security, and it works to reduce food waste by integrating the issue into public procurement and educational programs within local government and educational settings”.

Chen Herzog, Chief Economist at BDO and Editor of the Report: “Food loss amounting to 26 billion ₪ in the last year constitutes severe damage to food security, the cost of living, and the quality of the environment. During the war period, the Israeli economy paid a price due to the growth in the scope of food loss, primarily in the agricultural segment. The cost of food loss is ultimately passed on to the consumer, and it is one of the factors behind the approximately 15% rise in fruit and vegetable prices since the start of the war. The confrontation-line areas in the Gaza Envelope and the North are responsible for approximately 30% of agricultural output, and the economic plans for the rehabilitation of the North and South and the return of the economy to growth following the war must include an operative national policy for reducing food loss and increasing the scope of rescue.

“Since the publication of the first Food Loss Report by Leket Israel and BDO 10 years ago, the annual cost of food loss to the economy has grown by 45%, from 18 billion ₪ in 2015, to 26 billion ₪ this year. The absence of national policy and budgets for the reduction of food loss is an ongoing failure. The State Budget for 2026 must be updated to include funding for the implementation of a national food rescue program this year”.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection publishes a Memorandum for the Amendment of the Cleanliness Maintenance Law (Temporary Order, Hebrew) on the Governmental Legislation Website. The amendment is intended to authorize the Ministry to intervene in emergency cases in the waste economy and prevent sanitary and environmental crises. The Temporary Order was formulated following recurring events in recent years that endangered public health and due to concerns that they might reoccur. It is proposed to advance the memorandum as a Temporary Order for a period of one year, during which the Ministry will promote comprehensive legislation for the regulation of the waste economy in Israel.

Idit Silman, Minister of Environmental Protection: “We are continuing with Israel‘s Waste Revolution. The Temporary Order that the Ministry is promoting will grant the State of Israel the immediate tools required to protect public health and the environment in a reality where the waste economy relies on a limited number of private entities.

“Recent events have proven the necessity of a rapid intervention capability to prevent severe sanitary and environmental hazards. The Ministry’s teams are leading professional and thorough staff work for the short- and long-term regulation of the waste economy to ensure equal, fair, and continuous service to every authority and every citizen, and with the goal of ensuring the protection of public health and the environment.”

Today, 6 million tons of municipal waste are produced annually in the State of Israel , of which about 80% is transferred to landfilling. According to the Ministry’s policy and as is customary in developed countries for the waste treatment hierarchy, the focus must be on source reduction of waste generation, reuse, increased recycling, and energy recovery. The strategy promoted by the Ministry is expected to bring about a substantial reduction in landfilling to only about 20% landfilling within a decade.

In light of the fact that parts of the waste economy in Israel currently suffer from high concentration and a lack of regulatory tools, and due to concern for additional incidents that may endanger public health and the environment, additional tools and intervention authorities are required until the completion of permanent legislation. The proposed Temporary Order will provide the Ministry with tools that will ensure functional continuity by providing continuous service to residents.

Most treatment and landfilling facilities are operated by a small number of private entities , which often operate solely based on economic considerations , and sometimes in a manner that creates dependence and exposure of the local authorities to crisis situations. In this reality, any delay in waste reception, even for a few days, could lead to significant accumulation at transfer stations, harm to public health, and wide-scale environmental hazards. Furthermore, the need for regulation and efficient waste treatment is imperative due to the shrinking areas available for landfilling and the population density.

Main Points of the Temporary Order

1. To declare waste treatment services an essential service, enabling direct intervention in cases of disruption, cessation, or reduction in the scope of service
2. To mandate operating conditions and hours of activity when there is concern for harm to public health, the environment, or the continuity of service
3. To require the provision of fair and equal service to every authority, without discrimination in price or quantity, and to prevent situations of refusal to provide service

The Temporary Order is expected to strengthen the operational stability of the waste economy in a manner that will enable the implementation of advanced environmental policy advocating for a circular economy. The Ministry’s ability to handle crises by providing an immediate response to disruptions is a critical component in improving the entire waste system and ensuring the functional continuity of the waste collection, evacuation, and treatment chain. Concurrently, accelerated and in-depth staff work continues at the Ministry towards permanent legislation that will fully and stably regulate the waste economy, lead to a real improvement in service to residents, reduce waste landfilling, and assist in promoting an advanced circular economy.

The Cleanliness Maintenance Law (Ensuring Essential Services) (Temporary Order, Hebrew), 2025 Memorandum is open for public comments until Wednesday, December 10, 2025..

the ministry of Environmental Protection today (November 20) published a Memorandum of Law for public comments regarding the amendment of the Law for the Regulation of Dealing with Packaging, 2011 (Nevo Website, Hebrew). The Memorandum of Law aims to improve public service, open the packaging waste market to balanced and supervised competition, increase recycling rates, and improve supervision and enforcement of the law’s implementation by manufacturers and importers.

the ministry‘s proposal for amending the Law is published following the work of an inter-ministerial team that examined the opening of the packaging waste market to competition and published its recommendations in July 2024. The recommendations stated: Competition among Recognized Bodies in the Packaging Law requires a legislative amendment to ensure an appropriate level of service to the public and the establishment of a mechanism for balancing and coordinating between the income from handling fees paid by manufacturers and importers and the expenses for service to the domestic sector via the local authorities. In light of these recommendations, the Ministry conducted a comprehensive Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) process and formulated a proposal for amending the Law.

Idit Silman, Minister of Environmental Protection: “We are continuing to advance the Waste Revolution, this time by opening the packaging market to supervised competition among Recognized Bodies, in a way that will improve service for consumers and raise recycling targets. The amendment to the Packaging Law will promote practical steps for reducing landfilling, advancing a circular economy, and focusing on domestic waste, where the packaging stream is significant. This will generate savings of millions of shekels annually for the local authorities and provide better service to the public”.

Elad Amichai, Senior Deputy Director General for Local Government, Education, and Community: “Packaging waste is the largest dry stream in domestic waste. Increasing its recycling rates will reduce landfilling and lead to significant savings for the authorities. This is a central step in implementing the Ministry’s 2030 strategy”.

Proposed Key Amendments

• Raising the recycling targets in the Law according to the standards accepted in the European Union.
• Setting a recycling target for the domestic sector, according to which at least 50% of packaging waste will be collected from households.
• Opening the market to competition among Recognized Bodies, alongside a coordination and balancing mechanism to maintain the level of service to the public.
• Expanding the use of recycling bins for recycling additional products made of materials such as plastic, glass, metal, paper, and cardboard, which are not necessarily packaging.
• Mandatory registration in a Manufacturers and Importers Registry that will be transparent to the public and enforcement bodies to improve control and reduce the phenomenon of manufacturers and importers violating the Law.
• Strengthening the supervision mechanisms in the Law.

The Memorandum of Law is open for public comments on the Government Legislation Website (Hebrew) starting from (November 20, 2025) until (December 10, 2025).

Expansion

Law for the Regulation of Dealing with Packaging, 2011 (Nevo Website, Hebrew) is designed to reduce the negative impact of packaging waste on the environment. To this end, arrangements were established to reduce the amount of packaging waste, prevent its landfilling, and encourage its reuse. The Law implements the “polluter pays” principle and imposes Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) on manufacturers and importers of packaging. This includes a reporting obligation, financial responsibility for treating the waste generated by the packaging products they introduced into the market, and the obligation to meet recycling targets, according to the type of packaging material, including an overall recycling target.

To fulfill their obligations, the Law mandates that manufacturers and importers contract with a Recognized Body. This is a corporation that has received the Ministry’s recognition to act for the implementation of the Law, and its sole role is to carry out activities to fulfill the obligations of manufacturers and importers. Manufacturers and importers fund the activities of the Recognized Body through handling fees.

Since the Packaging Law entered into force, recognition has been granted to a single Recognized Body – Tamir, Producers Recycling Corporation of Israel Ltd. Although Tamir Corporation has met and even exceeded the recycling targets set by the Law over the years, most of the achievements stem from the collection of waste from businesses (approximately 75%). Manufacturers and importers of packaged products or service packaging – who are not affiliated with Tamir and do not pay handling fees for them – violate the Law and cause economic and social damage.

Every product we purchase today arrives in one or more packages. Packaging is produced in massive quantities, and most of it is intended for single or limited use. Packaging has a large volume relative to its weight. Their volume and the complexity of the materials they are made of impose an economic and logistical burden on waste management systems.

According to the results of the Waste Survey published by the Ministry of Environmental Protection in August 2025, 25% of the weight of mixed household waste in the green bin is packaging waste and beverage containers, and 47% of its volume. Although prohibited by law, this waste reaches the landfill, and its treatment costs the local authorities a great deal of money.

Waste landfilling causes numerous environmental damages, including land occupancy, air and soil pollution, and the emission of greenhouse gases. The raw materials that are landfilled, even though they may have positive economic value, are deducted from industry and the economy and are lost. In contrast, packaging waste disposed of in the dedicated recycling bins – the Orange Bin, the Purple Bin, the Blue Bin, and the Cardboard collection points – reaches recycling or proper treatment, funded by the manufacturers and importers of the packaging.

To improve environmental benefits and the mechanisms established in the Law, it is proposed to raise the recycling targets and make recycling in general more accessible to the wider public. It is further proposed that the recycling of waste with similar characteristics to packaging waste (for example: plastic toy parts, metal frying pans, glass cups) be recognized, provided this waste is collected in the dedicated recycling bins. This proposal will simplify public education and lead to an increase in recycling quantities and a reduction in landfilling, which will ease the burden on both the local authorities and the manufacturers and importers, and is therefore in alignment with the Ministry’s strategy and the European Directives.

In June 2025, the Ministry of Environmental Protection published a Memorandum for the amendment of the Deposit Law on Beverage Containers, 1999 (Hebrew). This Memorandum also proposes to raise the recycling targets for beverage containers and improve service to the public. The publication of these memorandums is part of the policy promoted by the Ministry of Environmental Protection for a sustainable waste economy.

Following the presentation of the Strategic Plan for Treating Cross-Border Nuisances brought forth by the ministry of Environmental Protection at the beginning of November, the Ministry is now activating a series of immediate measures on the ground to deal with the nuisances. The actions will be carried out on the ground by the Staff Officer for Environmental Quality in Judea and Samaria (J&S), under close supervision by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Idit Silman, Minister of Environmental Protection: “Waste fires in Judea and Samaria are not just a local problem – they are a national nuisance affecting the air quality of us all. Judea and Samaria will no longer be the environmental backyard of the State of Israel. Alongside promoting the Strategic Plan in accordance with Government Resolution 592, which the Ministry led, we are now proceeding to implement immediate measures with a significant budget of 35.7 million ₪: strengthening enforcement, close supervision, and immediate treatment of nuisances – for the health and safety of Israel’s residents. The State of Israel will not bear the costs resulting from the poor environmental conduct of the Arab population in J&S, and therefore we demanded from the Civil Administration and the Ministry of Finance the offset of the Palestinian Authority’s funds for the costs of rehabilitation, transport, and waste treatment. Until this is carried out, we will transfer an emergency budget for this action”.

The Ministry continues to lead the Strategic Plan for a comprehensive treatment of waste nuisances and fires in J&S, which stemmed from the proposal for a decision on treating cross-border pollution. The plan provides a systemic and orderly response to one of the most severe environmental challenges in the region, which directly harms air quality and public health.

As part of a discussion held (November 18) with the Civil Administration, the Ministry and the Minister of Environmental Protection decided to immediately fund the following, as detailed below:

• Operation of the “David” Enforcement Unit, a dedicated unit operating at crossings – 12 million ₪ for 2026
• Support for the supervision and rehabilitation of the Al-Minya Waste Disposal Site (WDS) – 550 thousand ₪
• Continued operation of heavy machinery during 2026 – 4.7 million ₪
• A dedicated prosecutor and inspector for leveraging legal proceedings and strengthening enforcement – 1.5 million ₪ (to be submitted for approval by the J&S Cleanliness Fund.)
• Improvement and management of waste landfilling in J&S – 17 million ₪ for preventing pirate waste fires and air pollution. Thereafter, this item will be funded by offsetting the Palestinian Authority’s funds, according to an arrangement with the Ministry of Finance and the Civil Administration (to be submitted for approval by the J&S Cleanliness Fund.)
• Integration of the J&S District of Fire and Rescue Services to reinforce the treatment of nuisances and the extinguishing of waste fires, and assistance in prevention activities on the ground.

Beyond the immediate steps, the Ministry is advancing the proposal for a decision according to Government Resolution 592, which includes:

• New Legislation – Nine legislative texts that will strengthen supervision and enforcement powers and increase fines
• Enforcement and Environmental Security – Expansion of the enforcement array in Areas B and C in coordination with security bodies and the establishment of a permanent team to accompany enforcement actions
• Unified Reporting Center – Establishment of a 24/7 center in cooperation with Fire Services, the Civil Administration, and the Israel Police
• Advanced Environmental Infrastructure – Establishment of the Ramon Site for sorting, treatment, and landfilling, Waste-to-Energy facilities, transfer stations, and organic waste treatment sites
• Monitoring and Public Health – Expansion of the air monitoring array in J&S, establishment of three new stations, and continuous health monitoring
• International Cooperation – Activity with donor countries to promote environmental projects for preventing cross-border nuisances

The Ministry of Environmental Protection will continue to act decisively, using all tools at its disposal, until the eradication of waste fires in Judea and Samaria and the assurance of a clean, safe, and healthy living environment for all residents of the area.

The Cleanliness Fund of the Ministry of Environmental Protection will transfer support totaling 50 million ₪ to the Druze and Circassian local authorities for the purpose of developing environmental infrastructure, promoting sustainability, and strengthening municipal infrastructure in the field of waste management.

The support will be granted pursuant to Government Resolutions No. 2856 and 2857 of (March 09, 2025) concerning Socio-Economic Empowerment and Development Programs in the Druze and Circassian localities in the Galilee, the Carmel, and the Golan Heights. Out of the total amount, 43 million ₪ will be transferred to the authorities in the Galilee and the Carmel, and 7 million ₪ to the Druze authorities in the Golan Heights.

Idit Silman, Minister of Environmental Protection: “This is a significant investment that provides real solutions for improving the quality of life in the localities, while promoting advanced environmental infrastructure and creating a basis for local growth. Environmental resilience is a driving force for socio-economic development, and we will continue to work to integrate the Druze and Circassian authorities as an integral part of the environmental revolution in Israel”.

As part of the Resolution, the following projects will be supported, among others:

• Establishment of infrastructure for the treatment of garden waste, bulky waste, and construction waste, and for recycling
• Purchase of collection vehicles and CME (Construction Machinery Equipment) exclusively for bulky waste, garden waste, or construction waste
• Treatment of environmental nuisances in the local authorities and cleaning
• Implementation of pilot projects regarding the reduction of waste to landfill

The budget will be divided based on a multiplier of the number of residents in each authority, and the support rate will be up to 90% of the total cost of each project. The projects will be carried out with professional guidance from the appropriate Districts in the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Shlomo Katz, Deputy Director General for National Programs at the Ministry of Environmental Protection: “The investment in the Druze and Circassian authorities expresses a true commitment to reducing gaps, improving the quality of life, and strengthening the local economy through advanced environmental projects. The programs will contribute to the development of green infrastructure, the promotion of a circular economy, and the reduction of landfilling”.

Mr. Yasser Gadban, Chairman of the Forum of Heads of Druze and Circassian Authorities and Head of the Kisra-Sumei Council: “We wish to express our deep appreciation to the Minister of Environmental Protection, Idit Silman, and the staff of the Ministry of Environmental Protection for their substantive and continuous support, as reflected in the two Government Resolutions No. 1975/6 and 2856/7.

“The Minister’s support and willingness to promote assistance constitute a central pillar in reducing gaps and investing in sustainable environmental development, and they enable the authorities to advance professional work plans, purchase advanced equipment and means, and include essential environmental projects for the benefit of improving the quality of life and the well-being of the residents. We view this move as an important expression of the Government’s commitment to advancing the partnership with and strengthening the Druze and Circassian authorities socially, economically, and environmentally”.