Only 26 of 138 closed

Slow progress in Erbil’s crackdown on illegal refineries

2024-08-18 | 23:30

ERBIL — Fourteen days after the decision to close down 138 illegal refineries in Erbil, only 26 have been shut down. Despite an order issued on August 4 by Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw to promptly close these refineries, enforcement has lagged.

Khoshnaw’s directive included several key points related to environmental preservation, with a primary focus on shutting down illegal refineries.

Nabaz Abdulhamid, the qaymaqam of central Erbil, told 964media, “We have begun taking measures to close down illegal refineries within Erbil’s jurisdiction. There were three illegal refineries, and we have shut them down. However, legal refineries that comply with regulations will not be closed.”

Abdulhamid insisted that the closures have positively impacted Erbil’s environment.

However, significant concerns remain, particularly in the Qushtapa district of Erbil, where 33 of the 138 identified illegal refineries are located. A number of these have already been shut down.

The Kurdistan Regional Government’s media and information department released a statement from Hemin Qadir, the deputy governor of Erbil, emphasizing that the inspection and closure process is ongoing and that “strict measures” have been taken against illegal refineries on Gwer Road. “The process will continue until completion, and all findings will be made public,” Qadir’s statement read.

Efforts to reach Qadir for further comment were unsuccessful. When contacted by 964media, he declined to provide additional information.

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

Erbil, recently ranked as the second most polluted city in Iraq behind Baghdad, faces severe pollution challenges from vehicle emissions, industrial discharges, and waste management issues. In response, the local government has launched several environmental initiatives, including a crackdown on illegal refineries. Previous measures have included a crackdown on tire burning for scrap metal, now classified as an environmental crime under regional law.

The Erbil Environment Directorate has also urged residents and drivers to help identify vehicles emitting excessive smoke by photographing them and sending the images to local authorities for further action. Penalties for such environmental violations begin at 150,000 Iraqi Dinar ($114) and can escalate to as much as 2 million IQD ($1,526), depending on the severity of the violation.