Spatial Analysis of Land uses for Small Industries and their Impact on the Urban Environment of Baghdad

Abstract

The world today is increasingly focused on studying environmental pollution issues in urban centers, seeking appropriate solutions to these problems caused by industrial development, due to their significance and their connection to essential life requirements. This is being addressed through the planned distribution of industrial land uses. Industrial use is considered one of the vital land uses in cities, having emerged alongside urbanization to meet the needs of the population. Cities have become attractive hubs for industries, including small industries. However, the selection of industrial zones within a city must involve studying how to isolate these areas from other land uses, particularly residential areas, to avoid negative impacts. The overlap between industrial sites and residential neighborhoods affects inhabitants due to pollutants, odors, dust, and emissions, especially from construction material factories, building materials, some food industries, and woodworking industries. Baghdad is one of the most prominent cities where small industries are concentrated, occupying about 4.7% of the city's area. However, the irregular and unplanned growth of industrial use has led to urban chaos due to the daily waste generated by these establishments. This increases pressure on infrastructure, exacerbating pollution and its impact on the urban environment. These industries release pollutants that intensify negative and cumulative effects, resulting from the use of traditional factors in industrial site selection, often neglecting environmental considerations, which in turn leads to environmental degradation. The study concluded that the most widespread type of small industry in the administrative units of Baghdad is the food industry, accounting for the highest percentage at 35.5% of the total diverse industries. On the other hand, chemical industries and the manufacturing of rubber and plastics recorded the lowest percentage at 2.1%. In terms of environmental impact, paper industries were identified as the most polluting due to the methane gas produced during combustion, which contributes to global warming. Chemical industries were also significant pollutants, especially due to the waste discharged into the air and water, notably the effluents from detergent production into the Tigris River.

The study proposed that small industries should be located in designated areas or industrial complexes away from residential zones, provided with infrastructure services, and that investors should be encouraged to adopt these areas as industrial zones.