US military to punish culprits behind toxic waste dumping in Iraq
The American military has announced an investigation into its disposal of hazardous material in Iraq and declared its intention to prosecute anyone violating environmental standards.
The announcement comes after The Times disclosed that private contractors employed on US military bases had been dumping large quantities of oils, acids, filters and batteries in Iraqi scrapyards.
Three American generals faced a barrage of questions on environmental damage at a press conference called to explain the closure of US bases during the troop withdrawal that started last January and will end in December 2011.
Brigadier-General Kendall Cox, who is responsible for engineering and infrastructure in Iraq, said: “I share your concern with regards to anything that may or may not be left here in Iraq. As you know we have been here for over seven years. In that period we have accumulated several million pounds of hazardous waste.”
Anyone involved in the improper disposal of the waste is to be prosecuted. Brigadier-General Stephen Lanza, the US military spokesman in Iraq, said: “Those responsible for this will be punished. It is something that once brought to our attention, we take very seriously.”
The generals will send teams of experts to comb Iraqi and US facilities, hoping to establish how and where hazardous material was dumped.
The most likely culprits are private contractors employed by the Americans — Western and Arab — who dispose of the waste generated at the 500 bases that America at one time operated in Iraq. The number is down to fewer than 130, mirroring the reduction of troops from 176,000 at the height of the insurgency to 85,000 today.
The row over hazardous waste comes at a difficult time for the Americans. Once a new Iraqi Government has been formed after the swearing in of members of Parliament yesterday US officials will begin discussions about a future security agreement with Iraqi political and military leaders. Many Iraqi voters would like all US troops to leave but because Iraq needs help fending off hostile neighbours Washington may keep some sort of military presence beyond 2011.
All the more reason to clear up questions about the toxic legacy quickly. General Cox listed several lessons the US could learn from the row. Uppermost was the need to start the removal of waste sooner.
He said: “I think perhaps the lesson is that we create hazardous waste treatment centres earlier if there is a potential for us to have a long-term presence.” However, the general defended the use of civilian contractors by the military, of which there are roughly the same number as soldiers in Iraq. He said: “I absolutely believe that the contractors we have are doing a fantastic job. They maintain real good accountability of the hazardous waste at the disposal areas scattered throughout Iraq.”
The military appears committed to mending its ways but is still unable to see much beyond its existing processes. While acknowledging the misdeeds exposed by The Times military leaders insist that abuses are unlikely because “a good system” is in place
