Environmental offences by factories in Dubai have fallen by 47 per cent in the first six months of this year compared to the same period last year.
Most were related to environmental permits and protection of air from pollution, according to Alia Al Harmoudi, director of the environmental department at Dubai Municipality.
She said air pollution offences decreased by a quarter between January and June, compared to last year, as the municipality introduced measures to monitor industries more closely.
“We have expanded the scope of the use of drones to include environmental monitoring and control in all industrial areas in the Emirate, in addition to the development projects, to monitor and control any pollution cases emanating from industrial activities and projects in order to enhance the environment protection opportunities in the Emirate,” said Ms Al Harmoudi.
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She said environmental monitoring of the industrial and service sectors has been intensified in response to the steady growth of the two sectors.
Cement manufacturers are committed to installing air pollution monitors linked to the municipality's air quality database, Ms Al Harmoudi said.
“All industrial plants that generate large quantities of air pollutants and odour elements from their operational processes have committed to install pollution and odour control units to ensure that they are in conformity with the permitted environmental parameters.”
For the protection and development of coastal zones and preservation of marine environment, Ms Al Harmoudi said that during the first half of the year, the Department carried out 98 inspection visits to marine and coastal facilities and projects and 289 to sand drilling sites.
“With regard to the control of coastal activities and sources of marine pollution resulting from marine transport vehicles and facilities, the Department conducted 154 inspection visits to floating restaurants in the first half of 2018. Coastal inspectors visited 18 berths, and carried out 802 monitoring and inspection visits to beaches and Deira port,” said Ms Al Harmoudi.
She said that 49 fishing and hunting shops were inspected and as per the federal law on the exploitation, protection and development of living aquatic resources in the UAE. She also stressed that no damage was made to the marine life during this period.
