https://doi.org/10.37229/fsa.fjb.2026.01.23

Building an economy in Iraq is really important to sustain the resources of this country down the road. Solid waste is a big issue, which referred to the refuse materials that resulted from peoples' activities with various compositions. Although it is a waste officially, really, it is wasted resources that have a lot of economic potential if used in the right way. At a global scale, waste generation amounted to 2.02 billion tons in 2016 and is estimated to soar to 3.4 billion tons by the year of 2050 due to drivers such as population growth and rapid urbanization. There are major issues facing Iraq especially in relation to solid waste, this is worsened by the fast growing population, failing infrastructure after decades of conflict and poor legislation with limited public understanding. Multiple alternatives of optimal solutions are proposed as indicated and validated by the studies. It suggests methods such as building infrastructure via investment in state-of-the-art sanitary landfills along with recycling facilities and waste-to-energy facilities. Studies also underlie the need for enhancing policy provisions, raising public awareness through vigorous campaign, and involving all stakeholders. The research underscores the need to incorporate up-to-date technologies, e.g. GIS in the management and site selection of landfill in urban planning processes for more informed decision making. These programs are part of a larger effort to convert waste from an ecological liability into an asset – and thus to establish a more sustainable future.