Toxic gas emissions cost North Oil $658K penalty
Shafaq News- Kirkuk
The Northern Region's Environmental Protection and Improvement Directorate has fined the state-run North Oil Company 1 billion Iraqi dinars (around $657.89K) over environmental violations linked to polluting gas emissions, its director Ali Khorsheed said on Saturday, citing documented evidence of the emissions.
"Pollution from oil companies and private refineries is among the factors associated with the high number of cancer cases in Kirkuk," he told Shafaq News, explaining that oil extraction and the flaring of associated gas release pollutants into the atmosphere, further contributing to worsening environmental conditions.
Kirkuk has five officially licensed private oil refineries, all of which are currently operating, Khorsheed noted. However, some fail to meet approved environmental standards, while residents periodically report unpleasant odors and gas emissions linked to operations at certain oil facilities.
Separately, economic expert Samir al-Bayati warned that the improper disposal of petroleum products and waste, along with pollutants seeping into the soil, water, and air, is degrading the environment and threatening public health. Residents living near oil fields and facilities are particularly vulnerable to these hazards, he stressed, calling for tighter oversight of oil waste disposal and greater accountability for companies that violate environmental regulations.
In September, Aynda, an environmental protection organization, raised concerns over rising air pollution and growing environmental threats across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, describing deteriorating air quality as a major threat to public health and environmental stability.
Iraq scored 26.6 points in the 2026 Environmental Performance Index (EPI), ranking 166th globally and second-lowest among the Arab countries included in the index, according to data published by World Population Review.
Read more: The cost of filth: Iraq among the world’s most polluted nations
