ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Environmental authorities in the Kurdistan Region say most illegal oil refineries have stopped operating, contributing to the significant improvement of air quality in Erbil, while warning that waste levels remain high and public cooperation is still needed.
According to figures obtained by Rudaw from the Kurdistan Region's Environment Board, there are 153 illegal refineries across the Region, including 139 in Erbil and 14 in Duhok, with the majority of them having ceased operations. “Most illegal refineries are not working," Sanaan Abdullah, spokesperson for the board, told Rudaw on Sunday.
Officials say the shutdown of these facilities has had a direct impact on air quality, particularly in Erbil province, where more than 90 percent of illegal refineries were previously located.
Dilshad Hirani, head of Erbil’s Environment Department, told Rudaw that all illegal refineries are currently "non-operational, and this has greatly served the city’s environment.” He added that air pollution has dropped from previously dangerous levels.
An Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 0 to 50 is classified as “Good” by the US Environmental Protection Agency.
“The standard for clean air is a level of 50. Previously, Erbil’s air pollution reached 180, which was dangerous. Now, on normal days, it is between 50 and 60, meaning it is out of the danger zone,” Hirani said.
He also said air quality is currently monitored using the Swiss IQAir data, as a fixed monitoring station has not yet been installed in the city.
Authorities also point to broader environmental measures contributing to the improvement, including the Kurdistan Regional Government’s flagship Runaki project, which aims to provide 24-hour electricity to the population and under which 3,689 diesel generators have been shut down.