Insecurity prevents clean-up of Iraq pollution - Reuters

[Eugene]

Insecurity prevents clean-up of Iraq pollution

By Daniel Wallis

2 hours, 56 minutes ago

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Iraq's government has identified hundreds of polluted sites
that pose huge health hazards, but insecurity and lack of funds are stifling attempts
to make them safe, a minister said on Wednesday.

With violence gripping the country, campaigners are struggling to draw attention
to environmental damage caused by the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, the 1991 Gulf War
and waste discharges by industry struggling during years of sanctions.

"We have identified more than 350 priority polluted areas, which include amounts of
hazardous chemicals and depleted uranium," Environment Minister Nermeen Othman
said on the sidelines of a major U.N. environment conference in Kenya.

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The other huge task on the horizon is cleaning up high levels of pollution in rivers
and drinking water, Othman said, which is complicated by widespread shortages of
electricity.

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Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070207/sc_nm/environment_un_iraq_dc_1