The Environmental Reality of Meat Slaughterhouses in Baghdad Governorate

Abstract

Slaughterhouses are essential facilities for processing red and white meat, providing high-quality processed meat. However, they contribute to environmental pollution through the large quantities of waste they generate, which is often disposed of untreated in surrounding water and soil. This waste contains a high percentage of organic matter and toxins, leading to significant changes in the physical and chemical properties of the soil and water used in the slaughtering process, increasing the microbial load in these ecosystems, and consequently degrading their quality. This research concludes that the slaughterhouses in Baghdad are traditional and do not follow modern methods of slaughter or waste management. There are three fully operational or partially operational slaughterhouses in Baghdad: Al-Dora, Al-Karkh, and Al-Sha'la. These are insufficient given the population of Baghdad Governorate. Only three out of 22 slaughterhouses are operational for poultry. These slaughterhouses release liquid waste, such as blood that accumulates near them, and solid waste, including offal and damaged hides. They also release gaseous waste in the form of foul odors from discarded internal organs, causing discomfort and annoyance to residents in nearby housing complexes. This waste increases soil acidity, dissolved salts, and ammonia, which in turn causes unpleasant and uncomfortable odors due to the organic decomposition of the waste. Furthermore, this waste contributes to an increase in fungi and pathogenic bacteria in the soil, leading to soil contamination. Chemical and biological pollution, as well as water and air pollution.