Environmental Health in Israel | 2014

 Figure 1 Source: Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics ( 2) permitted. In 2010, maximum permitted residue levels were defined for 269 active pesticide substances as well as six additional substances that were used in the past and are still defined as environmental pollutants. Approximately 14% of all pesticides in Israel are used for sanitation purposes. As of 2013, only 13 active ingredients were categorized as pesticides for medical purposes, including eight active ingredients for repelling mosquitoes and five active ingredients for treating lice. Data on the Scope of Use and Exposure to Pest Control Substances Israel is the record-holder among selected Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in the use of pesticides. According to data from the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, 3.2 tons of active ingredients were used in Israel in 2010 per 1,000 dunams of agricultural land (Figure 1). Tons of Active Pest Control Substance Per 1,000 Dunams of Agricultural Land for Selected Countries From 2008 to 2010, 6,600–7,300 tons of active pesticide substances were sold in Israel. During this period, there were only slight fluctuations in the amount of organophosphate pesticides sold. During 2008–2010, there was an increase of 8% in sales of active pesticide substances for sanitation. The sale of pesticides for veterinary use rose from 11 tons in 2008 to 20 tons in 2010, an increase of more than 80%. Most of this increase is attributed to the use of veterinary pesticides for pets and for the poultry sector. 0.5 2.5 1.5 3.5 1.0 3.0 2.0 Tons of active ingredients per 1,000 dunams of agricultural land area Israel Portugal Netherlands Moldova Ireland Germany Austria Norway Slovakia Latvia Ukraine Slovenia Italy UK Denmark Poland Estonia Turkey Finland Romania Hungary Japan 0.0 Countries - 41 - Pesticides