Scrap and Industrial Waste Trade in Iraq: Parliamentary Calls for Enhanced Oversight and Anti-Corruption Measures

The trade of scrap, along with industrial and military waste in Iraq, has transformed into a multi-billion-dinar sector amid growing controversy over the mechanisms of its sale, transportation, and the beneficiaries involved. While these materials are considered a recyclable national wealth in developed countries, relevant authorities in Iraq face accusations of regulatory loopholes that lead to the sale of usable assets and equipment at meager prices under the guise of "scrap." Parliamentary leaders have called for the urgent formation of a supreme committee to closely monitor this issue, warning against fraudulent practices in classifying and transporting scrap that deplete the state's economic capacities. Industrial sector experts confirmed that administrative corruption is being exploited to dismantle entire production lines and sell them at low prices to generate illicit profits for specific entities. This issue is currently undergoing intensive investigations, with dozens of open cases at regulatory bodies and the dismantling of several networks involved in inter-provincial smuggling operations, necessitating decisive governmental intervention to regulate this vital economic sector.