The Syrian conflict has seen a massive growth in artisanal oil refining.
PAX’s Scorched Earth and Charred Lives uses satellite analysis to reveal the sharp increase in the number of makeshift refineries in Syria’s oil rich Deir ez-Zor governorate in the past four years, with the most recent analysis based on satellite images from June 2016. There are likely tens of thousands of makeshift refineries in the region, in which adults and an alarming number of children work. The consequences for public health and the environment are huge.
