Shafaq News- Baghdad

Vehicle owners, repair shop operators, and officials who spoke to Shafaq News said that the theft of catalytic converters from vehicles has become a growing problem in Iraq, as the part's resale value is up to 500 dollars.

A catalytic converter, known locally as the "environmental stone" or "pollution canister," is a metal component containing a ceramic element and metals. It sits in the exhaust system between the engine and the tailpipe, converting toxic combustion gases into less harmful emissions such as water vapor and carbon dioxide.

Sara Abd Ali, a car buyer, told Shafaq News she purchased a late-model vehicle from a dealership and later discovered, through an electronic diagnostic scan, that the converter had been removed before the sale. “Some dealers and even owners strip and sell it before putting vehicles on the market.”

Repair shops in Baghdad receive near-daily offers to buy catalytic converters from individuals, according to Samir Radhi, who owns a repair shop in the al-Bayaa district of the capital. He said prices vary by type, size, and condition, with some units exceeding 500 dollars.

Another shop owner, Muntasir Abbas, said stolen converters can be distinguished from those salvaged from scrapped vehicles because the stolen units are usually in good condition and free of faults. “Removing the part increases fuel consumption, prevents complete combustion, and can cause engine problems,” he said.

Yahya Ibrahim, who bought more than three vehicles imported from the United States, told Shafaq News that he found each one missing its converter. “I now avoid buying used cars for this reason; the absence of this part in the vehicle raises fuel use, allows gas odors into the cabin, and harms engine performance.”

Fayyad al-Dulaimi, head of the Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control, the state body responsible for product standards, told Shafaq News that the organization inspects new and used vehicles to ensure they meet environmental requirements, adding that the checks cover the emissions system and confirm that the converter has not been removed or disabled, alongside an exhaust test before vehicles are registered.

Colonel Haidar Shakir, media division director at the General Traffic Directorate, said authorities are moving to issue instructions that would require vehicle owners to have the converter in place during the periodic roadworthiness test known locally as "al-hazza." “The directorate is currently working on the matter in Baghdad, where specialized exhaust-testing equipment is available.”

Read more: The cost of filth: Iraq among the world’s most polluted nations