EAD suspends 2 industrial facilities for breach of laws

The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) has issued a decision to temporarily suspend the operations of two industrial facilities, and imposed a fine on one of the facilities, due to repeated regulatory and legal violations and their failure to comply with the requirements and conditions related to preserving public health and ensuring environmental safety to enhance the quality of life in the emirate.

The Agency explained that this decision was based on regular inspection visits and escalating enforcement procedures, in addition to reports from its air quality monitoring stations.

The results of these reports showed that the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) resulting from the operational processes of the two facilities have exceeded the allowed limits, which led to negative impact on human health and the environment in the surrounding areas.

Engineer Faisal Al Hammadi, Executive Director of the Environmental Quality Sector at EAD, said, "The Agency, within the framework of its legislative and regulatory role as the competent authority concerned with environmental affairs in the emirate, is keen to ensure that facilities in Abu Dhabi adhere to, and comply with, environmental regulations and laws.

Such decisions are issued based on periodic reports generated by the Agency’s air quality monitoring stations and periodic inspection visits, and responses to various complaints received from the public.”

Al Hammadi pointed out that the two establishments committed several violations, including failure to take the necessary measures to prevent or reduce harmful organic emissions, and failure to notify EAD of any technical modifications to the project or activities according to the requirements of their environmental licences.

The Agency affirmed its commitment to continue monitoring and inspection of facilities to ensure compliance with environmental standards to protect the health of society and the environment, and repeated its call for industrial establishments operating in Abu Dhabi to comply with legislative and environmental requirements to avoid penalties and legal procedures.

WAM