Erbil authorities shut down 15 illegal refineries

ERBIL – Police units in Erbil governorate initiated operations last night to shut down illegal refineries, closing three in Shamamak sub-district and twelve in Gwer area, Qushtapa district on Monday, officials said.

The Erbil governorate has vowed to continue these operations. “All refineries that harm the health of citizens and the environment will be targeted,” a post on the governorate’s Facebook page read.

Erbil’s environmental and municipal officials met on Sunday to discuss the issue, deciding to close 138 illegal refineries in and around the city.

Legal refineries have been given 10 days to comply with environmental standards or face legal consequences, the governorate announced.

Emjad Salih, deputy administrator of Qushtapa district, told 964media that a committee, including representatives from the district office, prosecutor’s office, and departments of environment, health, agriculture, security, and traffic, has been formed to enforce the crackdown.

As of noon today, twelve more refineries in the Qushtapa area have been closed. “The campaign will persist until all illegal refineries are removed,” Salih said.

Estimates vary, but there are believed to be between 300 and 400 refineries across the Kurdistan region, with a former parliament member indicating that only about 15 of the 192 identified refineries meet legal and environmental standards.

Erbil, recently ranked second most polluted city in Iraq after Baghdad, faces severe pollution from vehicle emissions, industrial smoke, and waste management issues. Efforts to combat pollution included a recent crackdown on tire burning for scrap metal, now considered an environmental crime under regional laws.

In December, the head of the Kurdistan Region’s environmental agency proposed banning vehicular traffic in city centers to improve air quality and promote pedestrian-friendly areas.