Environment: Iraq Steps Up Efforts to Curb Imports of Single-Use Plastics

Reuters

A river in central Basra filled with sewage and plastic waste that feeds into the Shatt al-Arab, the city’s main water source.

The Ministry of Environment has confirmed that Iraq is working to enact legislation aimed at limiting the import of single-use plastic products, warning that improper disposal—particularly through open burning—causes severe environmental pollution and releases carcinogenic substances.

In a statement, Ministry spokesperson Luay al-Mukhtar told Iraq's state media (INA) that plastic pollution is among the most pressing environmental challenges worldwide, due to its complex and far-reaching impacts on ecosystems and public health. He said the issue is equally serious at the national level and requires comprehensive and non-traditional solutions.

Al-Mukhtar explained that international studies show plastic pollution has spread across oceans and seas, causing extensive damage to marine ecosystems. He added that plastic waste has also been detected on land at both the highest point on Earth, Mount Everest, and the deepest, the Mariana Trench. 

"Since the 1950s, global plastic production has exceeded nine billion tonnes, at least seven billion tonnes of which have become waste, creating a significant environmental burden and high management costs," he said.

According to projections, annual plastic production could triple by 2060, leading to a corresponding rise in waste volumes and pollution. Al-Mukhtar noted that around 66 per cent of plastic products are single-use or short-lived items, such as plastic bags, water bottles, disposable utensils, packaging materials, and medical and agricultural supplies.

He added that the low cost, light weight, and difficulty of collecting, sorting, and recycling plastic products often undermine effective waste management. As a result, only about 10 per cent of plastic products are recycled globally, pointing out that estimates from 2022 indicate that approximately 20 million tonnes of plastic waste enter water systems each year, while the total amount accumulated in seas and oceans is estimated at between 75 and 199 million tonnes.

Al-Mukhtar warned that plastic waste causes fatal and near-fatal harm to marine life, including whales, seals, turtles, birds, fish, and invertebrates such as shellfish, plankton, and coral reefs. These impacts, he said, occur through entanglement, suffocation, starvation, drowning, internal injuries, reduced oxygen and light penetration, physiological stress, and toxic exposure.

On the health front, he said the breakdown of plastic in marine environments releases microplastics, synthetic fibres, toxic chemicals, and heavy metals, which contaminate water and sediments and enter marine food chains, adding that these microplastics can act as carriers for pathogens harmful to both humans and aquatic organisms. He noted that ingestion may lead to inflammation, genetic and protein disruption, behavioural changes, impaired growth, and adverse effects on brain development, respiratory function, and biological filtration systems.

Al-Mukhtar also noted that many plastic products contain toxic or carcinogenic chemical additives used to enhance their properties, which can leach into the human body and cause serious health risks. At the domestic level, he stressed the need to protect food, drinking water, and children’s toys from plastic products containing hazardous substances.

He explained that Iraq faces high per capita waste generation and a large cumulative volume of waste, placing additional strain on collection and transportation systems. 

"Waste management infrastructure lacks effective mechanisms for sorting at source or after collection, as well as standardised final disposal options such as sanitary landfills, controlled incineration, or recycling facilities," he said. "Plastic waste is estimated to make up at least 40 per cent of total solid waste, significantly worsening environmental conditions, particularly due to the widespread practice of open waste burning and the resulting emissions of carcinogenic dioxins."

Despite being an oil-producing country, Al-Mukhtar said Iraq’s petrochemical industry remains underdeveloped, with domestic production largely limited to small quantities of polyethylene, while most other polymers are imported. He added that the local plastics industry focuses mainly on short-life products, making Iraq a major importer and consumer of single-use plastics.

He concluded by stating that, under the guidance of the Prime Minister’s Office and the leadership of the Ministry of Environment, Iraq is moving to issue legislation and decisions aimed at limiting the import and consumption of single-use plastic products, reducing dependence on short-life materials, improving product design to enhance recyclability, and supporting recycling-based industries. One such measure, he noted, is currently under consideration by the Cabinet.



PUKMEDIA