Over 600,000 tons of litter collected in Erbil in 2021: Government

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region's municipality authorities announced on Tuesday that cleaning teams collected more than 600,000 tons of litter across the Kurdish capital's public places throughout 2021.

The litter was picked up from local and main streets, neighborhoods, and other public sites in Erbil city center, the province's municipality authorities announced. 

The waste materials have been "treated" at Kani Qirzhala landfill in western Erbil province, according to the statement. 

The authorities installed over 1,000 trash cans across the city's public spaces, including main markets, schools, and parks, the statement added. 

For the first time in Kurdistan Region and Iraq, Erbil provided "24-hour and free" garbage collection services to its residents, according to the statement. 

Burning and landfills are the most common methods used by the Kurdish authorities for waste management. 

Environmental groups regularly warn of the hazardous effects of the practices on the environment and the ecosystem. 

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has announced that it would work with international companies to boost its recycling efforts.