Baghdad sulfur-like odor linked to pollution, thermal inversion

Shafaq News- Baghdad

A recurring sulfur-like odor across Baghdad is being intensified by high pollution levels and changing weather conditions, the Iraq Green Observatory said on Friday, warning that the phenomenon could return in the coming days.

The environmental watchdog said fluctuations in temperature and weather had increased the concentration of pollutants near the ground.

It stressed that the weather itself was not the source of the odor, but was contributing to a thermal inversion, a condition in which warmer air traps cooler air and pollutants close to the surface, preventing them from dispersing.

The Observatory said other major sources of pollution include the burning of heavy fuel oil at power plants, oil refineries and factories, as well as emissions from brick and asphalt plants on Baghdad’s outskirts.

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It also cited the burning of plastic waste and other refuse at informal dumping sites as factors worsening the capital’s air pollution.

The watchdog warned that prolonged exposure could pose serious health risks, particularly for children and older adults, including asthma attacks, reduced lung function, cardiovascular disease, stroke, eye and throat irritation, headaches and skin problems.

Baghdad has experienced repeated episodes of sulfur-like odors and heavy pollution in recent months, with environmental experts previously linking the problem to industrial emissions, waste burning and weather conditions that trap pollutants near the ground.