Residents of Nahariya in Israel are ten times more likely to develop mesothelioma than other Israelis, according to Israel’s Health Ministry. For years, Nahariya was the site of Eitanit, a company that manufactured asbestos products, and sold or donated surplus asbestos to local residents. This might explain the Environment Ministry’s Asbestos Department’s estimate that between 70 to 150 thousand cubic meters of asbestos lie scattered across the area, mainly in private yards. Now, politicians and local residents are debating the best way to eradicate the asbestos problem there. The country’s Internal Affairs Committee has met to discuss the lack of attention to the matter, which some attribute to the city council’s wish to avoid harming the region’s tourism.
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