Erbil has shut down 54 illegal refineries, says official

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - At least 54 illegal refineries have been shut down in Erbil province due to environmental concerns, an official said on Sunday, as part of a recent Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) campaign to combat air pollution.

“Previously there were 138 illegal refineries, 54 of them were closed due to environmental pollution and some of them are not operating on their own. Now approximately 50 refineries remain, some of which have resolved their deficiencies,” Dilshad Hirani, director of Erbil's environment office, told Rudaw.

Hirani explained the shutdowns as the result of a recent KRG decision. 

Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masour Barzani led a meeting with relevant authorities last week to discuss pollution issues in Erbil and Duhok provinces. It was decided that legal action would be taken against those who pollute the environment, including generators, factories, and oil refineries.

The government has been trying to tackle this problem for years, periodically announcing crackdowns on major polluters.

A Duhok official on Sunday said the province is also taking measures against the refineries. 

"There were 15 illegal refineries in our region and after the Prime Minister's meeting, they were all closed," Majid Said Salih, deputy governor of Duhok, told Rudaw. 

Sulaimani Governor Haval Abubakar stressed that there are no illegal refineries in Sulaimani province. 

On Saturday, an official said that thirteen private generator owners in Erbil are being investigated as part of government efforts to combat high levels of air pollution.

Erbil’s air quality is frequently described as “unhealthy” by the IQAir monitoring service.