"Trash and pollution have a very negative impact on people. Hopefully an official will pay attention and solve our problems," Mosa Bahadin, a resident of Kirkuk, told Rudaw.
"You see the cleanliness of our city and the condition of our roads. Trash is on streets and has to be collected and thrown away. The services are not satisfactory,” said Ahmed Ibrahim, another resident.
The city’s administration has not been able to pay for waste collection since it stopped receiving its monthly $10 million petrodollar payments from the Kurdistan Regional Government.
The Iraqi government has not helped either.
As a consequence, many government offices in Kirkuk have not received funds and have had to stop services.
The city is providing some basic services, relying on its own revenue stream.
Kirkuk produces some 600 to 700 tons of waste daily. The municipality has the capacity to collect just 100 to 150 tons.
"Since 2014, Kirkuk's municipality has relied on its own income to provide services. We cannot work on new projects and we only provide routine services," Ismail Jalal, the director of municipal projects in Kirkuk, told Rudaw.
On October 16, Iraqi forces took control of Kirkuk and other disputed areas.
