The Directorate General of the Ministry of Interior’s Diwan has announced that fines for environmental pollution and destruction, in accordance with the Environmental Protection Authority’s regulations, will range from 100,000 to 8 million Iraqi dinars. The announcement comes alongside the activation of surveillance cameras designed to detect and record violations such as waste being thrown from vehicles.

On Saturday, June 6, 2026, the Ministry of Interior of the Kurdistan Regional Government, in coordination with the Forests and Environment Police, Traffic Police, Civil Defense, volunteer teams from the Joint Crisis Coordination Center (JCC), the Ministry of Municipalities and Tourism, and the Environmental Protection and Improvement Board, and in cooperation with the Kurdistan Foundation, launched a large-scale environmental cleanup campaign around the Komsban Dam area.

The Director General of the Ministry of Interior’s Diwan, Heyman Mirani, said that although World Environment Day had been marked the previous day, environmental protection must remain a daily responsibility shared by all citizens. He noted that the Komsban Dam area has become one of the most important tourist destinations and a key source of clean air for Erbil, making its protection a collective duty.

Mirani warned against leaving waste behind in tourist areas, explaining that simply collecting and piling garbage is not an effective solution, as wildlife often scatters it again during the night while searching for food. He urged visitors to take their waste with them and dispose of it in designated municipal containers.

Mirani confirmed that environmental laws are being strictly enforced, with fines ranging from 100,000 dinars up to 8 million dinars for environmental damage and violations under Environmental Protection Authority regulations. He added that personnel from environmental agencies and the Forests and Environment Police have full authority to implement these penalties.

He further explained that littering from vehicles carries a minimum fine of 40,000 dinars, and that newly deployed traffic and security cameras are now capable of capturing such violations. Citizens were also encouraged to assist authorities by reporting offenders and submitting vehicle plate numbers to traffic departments.

The official also highlighted the environmental harm caused by plastic and glass materials, which take hundreds of years to decompose. He said the Kurdistan Regional Government is planning to reduce plastic consumption by promoting environmentally friendly alternatives such as paper and cardboard in order to better protect the region’s natural environment.