Committee endorses proposals to reduce toxic emissions from Rabia landfill

NINEVEH — A committee from the Nineveh Environment Directorate has approved several proposals to mitigate the environmental impact of a landfill located roughly one kilometer from residential neighborhoods in the Rabia subdistrict.

The measures, announced Wednesday, include three options: relocating the landfill to Jiblat Al-Shour, approximately 45 kilometers to the south; purchasing a new plot of land for a replacement site; or containing the existing landfill by fencing the perimeter and planting trees to reduce toxic emissions.

Nawaf Ahmed, mukhtar of the neighborhood closest to the landfill, said residents have faced growing health and environmental concerns as the population expanded over the past two decades.

“Residents have suffered since 2003 due to population growth and urban expansion,” he told 964media. “We are calling for the landfill to be moved outside municipal boundaries to protect lives and improve quality of life.”

Rashid Salem, head of the Rabia municipal office, said the landfill—originally established in the 1960s—was once located far from inhabited areas but now poses a public health risk due to the city’s urban spread.

“The current site is no longer suitable,” Salem said, noting that the municipality had proposed three solutions, all of which were approved by the environmental committee.

According to Salem, the landfill receives approximately 30 tons of waste each day. Emissions from burning waste have been reported to drift south and west into nearby residential areas, contributing to respiratory health issues.