ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Local authorities in Kirkuk have decided to shut around 30 private factories or plants on charges of polluting the environment and operating without carrying a license, an official told Rudaw on Wednesday, adding they will levy fines on their owners.
“A decision has been made to close and penalize nearly 30 private sector factories and plants, because they either work with tar and oil, or do cleaning and oil refining work,” Ali Izzaddin, head of the environment department in Kirkuk, told Rudaw, adding they "do not have even operating licenses."
Most of "the violators" are located in the Derman area, northern Kirkuk province, according to Izzaddin.
In addition to closures, owners face fines ranging from one to ten million dinars ($700–$7,000), depending on the violations, he noted.
The official cautioned that the lack of greenspace and unfiltered emissions from oil fields and refineries are key drivers of air pollution in the oil-rich city.
In February, Kirkuk’s municipality said green spaces cover only three percent of the city, while it needs 15 percent.
Governor Rebwar Taha in February made it mandatory for each company to plant 1,000 trees to continue operating and warned in December that firms will not be awarded projects unless they comply. It remains unclear if the rule has been enforced.
Iraq ranks sixth worldwide for worst air quality, according to IQAir, which monitors global levels. WHO guidelines set the safe limit for fine particulate matter at five micrograms per cubic meter.
Industry, oil refineries, traffic congestion, and the widespread use of generators all contribute to Iraq’s chronic air pollution.
