Geneva, Apr 24: Iraq faces severe pollution and other environmental problems as a result of more than two decades of war, international sanctions and mismanagement by Saddam Hussein, the United Nations said today.
"A major threat to the Iraqi people is the accumulation
of physical damage to the country's environmental
infrastructure," the UN Environment Programme said in
conjunction with the release of a study of Iraq.
"Many environmental problems in Iraq are so alarming that
an immediate assessment and a cleanup plan are needed
urgently," said Pekka Haavisto, chairman of the study.
Environmental priorities for postwar Iraq are restoring
the water and sanitation systems, cleaning up possible
pollution hot spots and waste sites and providing information
to residents on minimising the risk of exposure to depleted
uranium, which was used by coalition forces in its ordnance.
The next tasks in order are the cleanup of hazardous
wastes and emissions, improvement of water management and
restoration of the country's ecosystem - in particular the
Mesopotamian marshlands, 90 per cent of which were drained on
Saddam's orders after the 1991 Gulf War, the study said.
Lack of investment in water and sanitation systems has
led to increased pollution and health risks, while electricity
cuts have often shut down pumps that remove sewage and
circulate fresh water, UNEP said.
The destruction of military hardware and factories during
Iraq's various wars has released heavy metals and other
dangerous substances into the air, soil and water. Smoke from
oil-well fires and burning oil trenches during the current war
caused localised air pollution and soil contamination.
Bureau Report
