Dhi Qar Iraq’s first province free of radioactive pollution

Shafaq News– Dhi Qar

Iraq’s southern province of Dhi Qar is now free of radioactive contamination following a four-year cleanup program, Governor Haytham Al-Hamdani said on Sunday, declaring the city safe for public health and future scientific use.

At a press conference, Al-Hamdani explained that radiation detection and remediation operations had confirmed the complete removal of nuclear and radiological pollution, calling the outcome a “qualitative achievement” resulting from coordinated work by executive and oversight bodies.

Hamed Al-Bahili, a member of the committee overseeing the project, said the completed site is the first and only operational model nuclear burial facility in Iraq. He added that the location could be repurposed into an advanced scientific laboratory to serve Iraqi universities and help train specialists in nuclear and radiological fields, as Iraq moves toward projects that would require hundreds of qualified experts.

Dhi Qar has been the focus of environmental and radiological remediation efforts for several years. In mid-2024, the province’s Environment Directorate reported that most identified radioactive materials had been treated and transferred to a designated disposal site, paving the way for the final safety declaration. The project included the construction of a permanent nuclear burial facility in the desert south of Al-Nasiriyah, about 55 km from the city, with implementation by the Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC).

Radioactive contamination in the province and other parts of Iraq traces back decades of conflict and industrial activity. Past assessments by the IAEC noted that specialized national teams treated significant quantities of contaminated physical remnants, including pieces of war-affected material. The Commission also took part in monitoring southern provinces following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in mid-2025.