Iraq generates 150,000 tons of e-waste annually, with Baghdad leading, watchdog says

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Iraq Green Observatory said the country produces around 150,000 tons of electronic waste each year, posing a growing threat to soil, water and public health. The figure is based on the United Nations Global E-waste Monitor 2024, which recorded 62 million tons of e-waste worldwide in 2022 and projected the total could reach 82 million tons by 2030. The UN report ranks Baghdad first among Iraqi provinces with an estimated 60,000 to 90,000 tons generated annually, followed by Basra with 25,000 to 40,000 tons. The watchdog said most of the discarded devices end up in municipal landfills or are informally dismantled or burned at scrap yards, releasing roughly 1,000 hazardous chemicals, including lead, mercury, cadmium and dioxins, into the air, soil and water. The observatory cited the World Health Organization's warning that these substances pose serious health risks to children and scrap workers. It noted that the recoverable raw materials in global e-waste are valued at about $91 billion a year, but weak collection and recycling systems mean most of that value is lost. The Iraq Green Observatory called for a national e-waste management law, dedicated collection and recycling centers, an end to informal burning and dismantling, and a requirement that old devices be returned when new ones are sold. No further details on government response were immediately available.