In a round-the-clock operation, the city of Duhok is waging a massive battle against environmental degradation, processing over 600 tons of daily waste at its central sorting plant as a prelude to a major new recycling initiative.

According to reports from the facility, a critical finding has been the sheer volume of plastic clogging the waste stream, constituting 23 per cent of all sorted material. Currently, this plastic is exported out of the region, but that is set to change.

Diyar Sadiq, the plant's administrative director, has announced an ambitious plan to establish a dedicated plastic recycling facility within the existing plant's grounds within the next six months to a year.

"This project requires support from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) based in the Netherlands," Sadiq told Kurdistan24, highlighting the international cooperation behind the effort. He confirmed that local staff have already undergone intensive training in the Netherlands to prepare for the technological leap.

"After that, the plastic will not go to the landfill, but will be returned to the recycling plant," Sadiq affirmed, signalling a decisive shift towards a circular economy where waste is treated as a resource.

The move is urgently needed, according to environmental experts. Hazim Abdi, an environmental specialist, warned of the severe long-term dangers of plastic accumulation.

"Plastic reacts with the soil and other elemental components, leading to widespread pollution," Abdi explained. He stressed that this contamination enters the agricultural cycle and eventually finds its way back to humans through the food supply, causing significant health and environmental damage.

The current sorting plant, established in phases in 2011 and 2015, employs over 150 workers. The vast majority—80 per cent of the workforce—is dedicated to recovering recyclable materials from the waste, while the remaining 20 per cent is directed to landfill or converted into fertiliser.