Desk Study on the Environment in Iraq Desk Study on the ... - UNEP

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In
1999, it was reported that a disease outbreak in livestock, due to vaccination restrictions,
had resulted in the death of 1 million sheep and 150,000 cattle. 28 However, the disposal route
for the carcases is unknown.
• Hazardous industrial waste
The principal sources of hazardous waste are likely to include oil and petrochemical complexes,
fertilizer plants, refineries and chemical plants, as well as small and medium-sized
industries such as electroplating facilities, tanneries, workshops and garages. Although there
are no reliable data on the quantities of hazardous waste generated in Iraq, some Gulf countries
do publish hazardous waste inventories and it is possible to use this information to make
estimates for non-reporting countries using comparative GDP as an indicator. 29 The official
reported data from Gulf oil-producing countries indicate that they generate between two and
eight times more hazardous waste per capita than the United States.
The oil industry (see also pages 17-21) produces a range of hazardous wastes including:
bottom sludge from oil storage tanks, oiled mud from the drilling of wells, contaminated soils
from oil spills, waste lubricating oil from pumps and other machinery, chemical wastes and
low level radioactive waste. In addition, in the Middle East, non-potable saline groundwater,
slightly contaminated with oil, is frequently removed with the crude oil at a ratio of two to
four barrels of water per barrel of oil. It is not known if this contaminated wastewater is
treated, re-injected or allowed to evaporate in holding lagoons. Prior to the conflict of March/
April 2003, Iraq’s oil refineries had reported a lack of equipment and spare parts, due to UN
sanctions, for treating industrial waste. For example, the North Refineries Enterprise at Baiji
was estimated to be producing 600 m 3 of industrial waste per hour, without treatment because
spare parts were unavailable. Before the application of sanctions, four waste-processing
units at the Baiji complex isolated chemical by-products and treated this waste using bioreactors.
30 It has been reported that many refineries currently deposit hazardous waste into
depleted wells or canals specifically dug for the purpose 31 .
Waste collection, treatment and disposal systems are rudimentar
udimentary. This picture shows a huge
infor
ormal disposal site for scrap metal near Umm Qasr in southern Iraq.
JON MILLS - REUTERS
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<strong>Desk</strong> <strong>Study</strong>