Tel Aviv [Israel], April 4 (HBTV): The Knesset plenum approved in second and third readings, which passes a bill into law, the new environmental licensing law. The Ministry of Environmental Protection said this reform is expected to bring about "a real environmental improvement in industrial activity and a direct and indirect benefit" of up to 3 billion Shekels (USD 820 million). 

"This is the most significant environmental reform in Israel since the Clean Air Law, which was enacted in 2008," said the ministry. 

The reform will allow the State of Israel to align with the environmental standards of the European Union and reduce pollution and environmental risks from industrial activity in Israel. With the entry into force of the law and in the next decade, approximately 1,500 factories in Israel will be required to hold a unified environmental permit instead of the three separate permits required until now: an air emission permit, a toxic permit for hazardous substances and the Ministry's approval of the business license. The unified permit will be issued from time to time according to the applicable European regulations.

The licensing processes of the large factories will be in-depth, will take into account all the environmental effects and oblige the factories to comply with the standards accepted in Europe. 

The reform prioritizes and distinguishes between enterprises and businesses with large environmental risks and businesses with local environmental risks, and it adapts the licensing and regulation mechanisms to the environmental risks and the nature of the businesses.     

For enterprises and small businesses, the reform will enable a transition from individual licensing to horizontal regulation, which will be a real relief and will allow for equal and clear environmental rules of the game.   

(ANI/TPS) This is a syndicated news feed. HBTV has edited it for clarity.