This study focuses on the state of Iraq's environment following decades of armed conflict, economic sanctions and the absence of environmental management principles in national planning. It highlights options to tackle the environmental threats to human health from disrupted or contaminated water supplies, inadequate sanitation and waste systems, as well as for wider responses to address longer-term environmental risks. At present, following the conflict in March/April 2003, restoring law and order is a key priority for dealing effectively with humanitarian and environmental problems.

Master's Thesis from the year 2013 in the subject Environmental Sciences, University of Wolverhampton (University of Wolverhampton), course: Environmental Sciences, language: English, abstract: Five universities in Iraq; University of Technology Iraq, Al-Nahrain University and University of Baghdad, University of Basrah and The American University of Iraq were chosen for a survey in order to examine the link between the atmospheric environmental pollution and the respiratory health diseases in Iraq; questionnaires were distributed to students at different levels of education to assess how air pollution affect respiratory health, air quality, and how wars also contributes to air pollution. University of Technology Iraq, Al-Nahrain University and University of Baghdad located in the capital were used to judge inside Iraq, while University of Basrah and The American University of Iraq was used for outside city capital and Kurdistan respectively. All the three classified regions had shown knowledge on air pollution which few talk about and very rare. Women especially from Kurdistan were also found to be less aware of issues on air pollution. And the major sources of air pollution were found to be oil refineries and military conflicts emitting mostly particulate matter and sulphur dioxide which affects the respiratory health of most Iraqis mainly though asthma and cough as a result of rapid smog noticed by the respondents. While indoor pollution mainly is associated with use of pesticides and activities leading to release of carbon monoxide. Processes and activities were recommended for Iraq government to fish out itself from the worst performing countries in the global environmental performance index.

"This document is a report of the results of a project managed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to assess contaminated sites in Iraq. The work was carried out over the period January 2004 to July 2005 in Iraq, with support activities in Jordan, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The project was managed by the UNEP Post-Conflict Branch, based in Geneva. The project was overseen by the United Nations Development Group for Iraq in its role of coordinator for the entire UN development programme within Iraq. The Iraqi Government partner was the Ministry of the Environment (MoEn). The project covers contaminated land issues at the national level and also for five individual sites selected for priority assessment."--P. 16.

This report is an up-to-date compilation of the various activities undertaken by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Iraq between 2003 and 2006. It makes an objective assessment of the impacts of UNEP's intervention and documents the lessons learnt in implementing the activities in a complex situation such as Iraq. The publication provides a significant insight into the overall success of UNEP's intervention in Iraq.

Many veterans returning from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have health problems they believe are related to their exposure to the smoke from the burning of waste in open-air "burn pits" on military bases. Particular controversy surrounds the burn pit used to dispose of solid waste at Joint Base Balad in Iraq, which burned up to 200 tons of waste per day in 2007. The Department of Veterans Affairs asked the IOM to form a committee to determine the long-term health effects from exposure to these burn pits. Insufficient evidence prevented the IOM committee from developing firm conclusions. This report, therefore, recommends that, along with more efficient data-gathering methods, a study be conducted that would evaluate the health status of service members from their time of deployment over many years to determine their incidence of chronic diseases.

This study addressed the environmental pollution in all the environmental elements (water, soil and air) in the largest city and the capital of Iraq (Baghdad). Twenty samples from Tigris River were collected within the borders of Baghdad and analyzed for elemental concentrations and lability. Results showed that Tigris River in Baghdad is not highly polluted with regards to the heavy metals, but, most of the metals are found in the labile fractions. Selected potentially toxic elements PTEs (As, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) in thirty eight agricultural land and playground soils were assessed for total concentration and for their potential risk to human (adults and children) using two surrogate biological fluids (SBFs) (Macrophage vacuole (MS), and gastric (GS) solutions). Results showed that the exposure to PTEs from Baghdad soils possess non cancer risk to both children and adults. 24-hour atmospheric PM2.5 integrated samples collected based on 1-in-6 sampling protocol were analyzed for the major chemical components, and biological activities (ROS production and gene expression). Results showed that PM2.5 was higher than the WHO recommended value which dominated by carbonaceous aerosols, crustal materials and sulfate. Chemical mass balance (CMB) model showed that the major sources of PM2.5 are gasoline and diesel, and that attributed to the extensive use of the electricity generators powered by gasoline and diesel due to lack of power. The water soluble reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced from the PM2.5 showed moderate correlation with the water soluble organic carbon from biomass burning (WSOC-BB); while total ROS production had good correlation with Levoglucosan, crustal materials, and some elements (such as V and Ni); these chemical species showed implication in the expression of Ccl2, Ccl4, Ccl7, Cxcl1, Il1b, Il16, and Tnf gene. Nqo1 and Hmox1 genes were associated with organic compounds when they correlate with metals (e.g. Pb).