Kurdistan's Green Party takes Lafarge to court over pollution-linked health woes
Shafaq News/ Kurdistan's Green Party has filed a lawsuit against French cement giant Lafarge, accusing its Sulaymaniyah plant of spewing harmful pollutants and spreading chronic illnesses among residents.
The lawsuit, filed with Iraq's Federal Supreme Court and citing over 5,000 signed complaints, the Green Party alleges Lafarge's "unscientific manufacturing process" has caused 75,000 cases of chronic illnesses since 2012, with nearly 20 new cancer cases attributed to environmental factors, according to data from Hiwa hospital.
"Lafarge's disregard for basic environmental regulations has had devastating consequences for our people," said Maliko Baziyani, the Green Party leader. "This lawsuit seeks not only accountability, but also compensation for the thousands suffering due to their reckless operations."
The lawsuit comes after previous legal challenges against Lafarge in Iraq and abroad. Notably, the company was fined a hefty $778 million in 2022 by a French court for paying ISIS $15.3 million to keep its Syrian plant running.
