Many of Iraq’s environmental problems are linked to development and infrastructure issues. Examples include the impact of insufficient sewage treatment capacity on river water quality and the lack of facilities to manage hazardous wastes.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, there are three main issues with hazardous waste in Iraq:
1) Poor management of hazardous materials and wastes, characterized by frequent dumping of waste onsite;
2) Remediation of contaminated land commonly results in the generation of hazardous wastes, which then require proper management including an appropriate treatment or disposal route;
3) Previously sound sites have been extensively damaged by looting and, in the process, the chemicals previously stored on site have been dumped, thereby creating hazardous waste and initiating land contamination.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, there are three main issues with hazardous waste in Iraq:
1) Poor management of hazardous materials and wastes, characterized by frequent dumping of waste onsite;
2) Remediation of contaminated land commonly results in the generation of hazardous wastes, which then require proper management including an appropriate treatment or disposal route;
3) Previously sound sites have been extensively damaged by looting and, in the process, the chemicals previously stored on site have been dumped, thereby creating hazardous waste and initiating land contamination.
Photo: Uncontrolled dumping of industrial wastes is a recurrent problem in Iraq – South of Baghdad 2005 (from UNEP Assessment of Environmental 'Hot Spots' in Iraq).
Aid initiatives
since 2003 have attempted to upgrade Iraq’s waste management facilities
to modern standards. A modern municipal landfill has been constructed
on the south-western outskirts of Baghdad and a second facility is
under construction in the north of Baghdad.
As of June 2005, however, based on public domain information, there are no firm plans for the construction of facilities for the treatment and disposal of hazardous waste, although the World Bank has produced proposals on this topic. The lack of an appropriate central waste facility in Iraq is a serious constraint on the management of contaminated land and hazardous waste.
For more information, see the United Nations Environment Programme publication Assessment of Environmental 'Hot Spots' in Iraq. For Arabic version of the Executive Summary, go here.
As of June 2005, however, based on public domain information, there are no firm plans for the construction of facilities for the treatment and disposal of hazardous waste, although the World Bank has produced proposals on this topic. The lack of an appropriate central waste facility in Iraq is a serious constraint on the management of contaminated land and hazardous waste.
For more information, see the United Nations Environment Programme publication Assessment of Environmental 'Hot Spots' in Iraq. For Arabic version of the Executive Summary, go here.
