Illegal landfills in eastern Iraq expose residents to toxic smoke and disease as environmental laws go unenforced.
Published by Daraj and reported by Tamara Emad, Istabraq Al‑Zubaidi, and Israa Tariq, this investigation documents how unregulated landfills in Iraq’s Diyala governorate are exposing nearby communities to severe environmental and health risks despite years of official closure orders.
The reporting focuses on the Kanaan and Al-Khalis landfill sites, located east of Baghdad, where waste continues to be dumped illegally by several municipalities. Residents and scavengers work and live among mountains of garbage that frequently burn, releasing toxic fumes. Women and children sift through waste to survive, often earning only a few dollars a day while handling hazardous materials such as medical waste and chemicals without protective equipment.
The investigation follows workers like Shaima Alwan, a displaced mother of seven who scavenges for recyclables to support her family. She and others describe constant health problems, including respiratory illnesses, skin infections and untreated wounds. Children are also involved in the work, despite the risks and the disruption to their education.
Official documents reviewed by the reporters show that the Kanaan landfill was ordered to close in 2017 for operating without environmental approval. However, the site continues to function and has accumulated years of fines without meaningful enforcement. Local officials acknowledge the violations but argue that the landfill cannot be shut down because there is no alternative waste disposal system for the region’s 700,000 residents.
Environmental experts warn that uncontrolled dumping and burning contaminate groundwater and soil with toxic substances, while releasing dangerous gases such as methane and dioxins into the air. Nearby villages report rising cases of asthma, allergies and chronic respiratory disease, particularly among children.
Beyond the immediate health crisis, the investigation highlights wider structural failures in Iraq’s waste management system. The country produces around 50,000 tons of solid waste daily, yet most landfill sites lack environmental approval and recycling remains minimal. Iraq currently ranks near the bottom of global environmental performance indices.
For many families in Diyala, the landfill economy has become both a livelihood and a trap. Without social protection, education or employment opportunities, hundreds depend on scavenging despite the dangers. Residents warn that unless authorities act, entire communities may eventually be forced to abandon their homes to escape the pollution.
The original article by Tamara Emad, Istabraq Al‑Zubaidi, and Israa Tariq, ‘ مطامر غير نظاميّة وقرارات إغلاق معلّقة : الموت البطيء يلاحق سكان ديالى العراقية’ was published in Arabic by Daraj, on January 9, 2026.
It is available here.
Daraj is an independent pan-Arab digital media platform founded in 2017 and headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon.
