Illegal Dumps and Delayed Closures Leave Diyala Residents Breathing Toxic Air

Illegal landfills and open waste burning in Diyala are exposing residents to toxic air, rising health risks, and a deepening environmental crisis. Despite years of closure orders, sites like Kana’an and Khalis continue to operate without permits or basic safeguards, reflecting weak enforcement and systemic failures in Iraq’s waste management sector. Beyond the visible smoke and pollution, the crisis carries a significant climate cost, with methane emissions from solid waste rising sharply and black carbon from burning far exceeding global averages. The findings underscore an urgent need for enforcement, modern waste infrastructure, and investment to protect public health and reduce climate impacts.