Cement pollution triggers legal action in Badush
Shafaq News – Nineveh
Authorities in Nineveh launched legal proceedings against several cement factories in Badush, west of Mosul, after residents reported worsening air pollution and a spike in related health problems.
Locals told Shafaq News that thick dust from nearby plants blankets homes and streets daily, coinciding with rising cases of respiratory illness, allergies, kidney complications, and even cancers.
Read more: The air we breathe: How pollution is quietly rewriting Iraq’s future
Environmental experts said the old, expansion, and new Badush cement plants continue to operate in violation of national standards and have failed to complete mandatory safety and environmental compliance measures.
Nashwan Mohammed, spokesperson for the Nineveh Environment Directorate, confirmed that legal action is underway after field teams documented multiple violations. The Ministry of Environment has ordered the closure of non-compliant facilities, with both criminal and administrative penalties now being pursued through ongoing inspections.
Read more: Pollution gnaws at Iraq: Laws without teeth, fines without impact
