Federal Law Concerning the Protection and Development of the Environment

Article 1 — Definitions ¶

Defines: State; Agency (Federal Environmental Agency); Board of Directors; Chairman; Competent Authorities (Local Authorities in each Emirate); Concerned Parties; Environment (Natural/Unnatural Elements); Marine Environment; Water Environment; Ecological Systems; Natural Resources; Natural Reserves; Environment Degradation; Environment Pollution; Materials and Polluting Factors; Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Pollutants of Water Environment; Environmental Monitoring Networks; Environmental Impact Assessment; Environmental Protection; Environmental Development; Sustainable Development; Environmental Disaster; Hazardous Substances; Harmful Substances; Wastes; Solid Wastes; Liquid Wastes; Gaseous Wastes; Hazardous Wastes; Medical Wastes; Waste Management; Waste Handling; Waste Disposal; Waste Recycling; Marine Means of Transportation; Means for Oil Transportation; Establishments; Oil; Oil Mixture; Dirty Ballast Water; Discharge; Dumping; Means of Transportation; Noise; Public Premises; Closed/Semi-Closed Public Premises.

Article 2 — Objectives and General Principles ¶

This law aims to achieve goals including: 1. Protection and conservation of the quality and natural balance of the environment... (preview truncated)

Section 1: Development and the Environment

Chapter 1: Environmental Impact of Establishments
Article (3) — The Agency, in consultation with the Competent Authorities and Concerned Parties shall set the standards...
Article (4) — Without contravention to the provisions of the above article, the Agency, in coordination with the Competent Authorities...
Article (5) — The applicant for license shall attach with his application a complete statement on the project or activity...
Article (6) — The Agency shall, in coordination with the Competent Authorities, decide on the applications submitted...
Article (7) — Owners of projects or establishments approved by license shall undertake regular analysis of wastes...
Article (8) — The Executive Order shall specify the period required for keeping all the records referred to in Article...

Chapter 2: The Environment and Sustainable Development
Article (9) — All Concerned Parties specially parties responsible for planning, economic and construction development...
Article (10) — The Agency shall, in consultation and coordination with the Competent Authorities and Concerned Parties...
Article (11) — In the case of emergencies and if deemed necessary to protect lives or ensure the safety of the establishment...
ARTICLE 12 — It is prohibited to hunt, kill or capture birds, wild and marine animals identified in lists bearing...

Chapter 3: Environmental Monitoring
Article (13) — The Agency shall in coordination with the Competent Authorities and Concerned Parties, develop a national...
Article (14) — The environmental monitoring networks shall notify the Agency, Competent Authorities and Concerned Parties...

Chapter 4: Emergency Plans for Combating Environmental Disasters
Article (15) — The Agency shall, in coordination with the Competent Authorities and cooperation and consultation with...
Article (16) — All parties and individuals in the State shall endeavour to offer their help and potentials needed to...

Section 2: Protection of Water Environment

Chapter 1: The Scope of Environmental Protection

Article 17 — Protection of water environment from pollution aims to achieve: 1. Protection of the... ¶

Article (18) — Parties licensed to prospect, extract or exploit onshore or offshore oil and gas fields are prohibited...
Article (19) — The Agency shall in coordination with the Competent Authorities and cooperation and coordination of...
Article (20) — The Agency shall in coordination with the Competent Authorities and cooperation and coordination of...

Chapter 2: Protection of the Marine Environment
PART (I): Pollution from Marine Means of Transportation
Article (21) — All marine means of transportation are prohibited from discharging or disposing of oil or oil mixtures...
Article (22) — The captain or officer in charge of the marine means of transportation shall take sufficient measures...
Article (23) — In the event of a collision accident involving oil tankers, marine means, installations or carriers...
Article (24) — 1. The owner, captain or any person in charge of the marine means of transportation, the persons responsible...
Article (25) — The owner or captain of any marine means transporting oil and entering the marine environment of the...
Article (26) — Marine means transporting oil and entering the marine environment of the State shall be equipped with...
Article (27) — Marine means transporting hazardous substances are prohibited from discharging or disposing harmful...
Article (28) — Marine means, carrying hazardous substances, shall be provided with logbook in which the captain or...
Article (29) — The captain of the marine means entering the seaports of the State shall notify of hazardous substances...
Article (30) — The captain or officer in charge of the marine means shall take the necessary measures for protection...
Article (31) — Marine means carrying harmful substances are prohibited from dumping hazardous wastes and polluting...
Article (32) — Marine means and marine establishments identified in the Executive Order are prohibited from draining...
Article (33) — Marine means transporting oil and entering the marine environment shall be in possession of a valid...
Article (34) — Marine means and marine establishments undertaking prospecting for exploring and exploiting natural...
PART (II): Pollution from Land Sources
Article (35) — All establishments including public premises or commercial, industrial, agricultural, tourism and...
Article (36) — Licensing for the establishment of premises or shops on or near the coastline discharging pollutants...
Article (37) — The Executive Order shall determine the specifications and standards to be observed by industrial establishments...
Article (38) — The Agency and Competent Authority shall have the right to take specimens from treated liquid wastes...

Chapter 3: Protection of Drinking and Underground Water
Article (39) — The Concerned Parties shall consult and coordinate with the Agency and the Competent Authorities in...
Article (40) — The Competent Authorities, in coordination with the Agency, shall determine the safety rules for water...
Article (41) — The Competent Authorities, in coordination with the Agency shall conduct periodical annual examinations...

Section 3: Soil Protection
Article (42) — The Competent Authorities shall take into consideration the environmental standards and factors specified...
Article (43) — It is prohibited in accordance with the Executive Order to undertake any activity contributing directly...
Article (44) — The Competent Authorities in coordination and cooperation with the Agency, and Concerned Parties shall...
Article (45) — The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in coordination with the Competent Authorities, the Agency...
Article (46) — The Agency shall in coordination with the Competent Authorities and Concerned Parties in the State...
Article (47) — The Agency shall in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the Competent Authorities...

Section 4: Protection of Air From Pollution
Article (48) — Establishments, in practicing their activities, shall ensure that air pollutants must not exceed the...
Article (49) — Machines, engines or vehicles producing exhaust gases that exceed the limits specified in the Executive...
Article (50) — It is prohibited to throw, treat or burn garbage and solid wastes except in places designated for such...
Article (51) — It is prohibited to spray or use pesticides or any other chemical compounds for agriculture, public...
Article (52) — All parties and individuals shall, at the time of exploration, drilling, construction, demolition or...
Article (53) — The emission of smoke, vapors and fumes resulting from burning of fuels or other substances at the time...
Article (54) — All parties and individuals undertaking the production or service or other activities specially when...
Article (55) — Enterprises and establishments shall ensure adequate ventilation in the work place and take the necessary...
Article (56) — Closed and semi-closed public places shall have sufficient means of ventilation proportionate to the...
Article (57) — Public and tourism establishments shall undertake the necessary measures to prohibit smoking in closed...

Section 5: Handling of Hazardous Substances and Hazardous Wastes and Medical Wastes
Article (58) — Handling or dealing with hazardous substances, hazardous wastes and medical wastes is prohibited without...
Article (59) — Disposal of hazardous wastes and medical wastes shall be undertaken in accordance with the conditions...
Article (60) — Inspection of the transportation and disposal of hazardous wastes across land and marine environments...
Article (61) — Persons in charge of the production or handling of hazardous substances, whether in gas, liquid or solid...
Article (62) — 1. No public or private party or qualified or unqualified persons are allowed to import or bring, bury...

Section 6: Natural Reserves
Article (63) — Reserve areas in the State and the boundaries of each area shall be determined by a decree issued by...
Article (64) — Works, activities and acts prohibited in reserve areas which may lead to damage or deterioration of...
Article (65) — Wild and marine animals and birds using reserves for resting, hatching or habitation, shall be protected...
Article (66) — It is prohibited to practice any activities, acts or works in areas surrounding the reserves if such...
Article (67) — The Agency shall, in coordination with the Competent Authorities, undertake to supervise the activities...
Article (68) — Research centers, scientific institutions, universities and other specialized parties shall, in coordination...

Section 7: Liability and Compensation for Environmental Damages

Chapter I: Judicial Control Authorities
Article (69) — The Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Awqaf, in agreement with the Minister of Health shall issue...
Article (70) — If the captain or the person in charge of a violating marine means of transportation wishes to leave...

Chapter II: Liability and Compensation for Environmental Damages
Article (71) — Any person who, intentionally or by way of negligence causes damage to the environment or others as...
Article (72) — The compensation for the environmental damage referred to under article (71) of this Law, shall include...

Section 8: Penalties
Article (73) — Any person who violates the provisions of Articles (21), (27), (31), (62/1) and (62/3) of this Law...
Article (74) — Any person who violates the provisions of Articles (24) and (26) of this Law, shall be punished by imprisonment...
Article (75) — Any person who violates the provisions of Articles (25), (28), (32), (33) and (34) of this law, shall...
Article (76) — Any person who violates the provisions of Articles (22) and (30) of this Law, shall be punished by imprisonment...
Article (77) — Any person, who causes pollution of drinking water or ground water, shall be punished by imprisonment...
Article (78) — Any person who violates the provisions of Articles (59), (60) and (61) of this Law, shall be punished...
Article (79) — Any person who violates the provisions of Article (49) of this Law, shall be punished by fine not less than...
Article (80) — Any person who violates the provisions of Article (51) of this Law, shall be punished by fine not less than...
Article (81) — Any person who violates the provisions of Article (35) of this Law, shall be punished by fine not less than...
Article (82) — Any person who violates the provisions of Articles (48), (50), (53), (54) and (55) of this Law, shall...
Article (83) — In addition to the seizure of captured birds and animals, any person who violates the provisions of...
Article (84) — Any person who violates the provisions of Article (43) of this Law, shall be punished by fine not less than...
Article (85) — Any person who violates the provisions of Article (66) of this Law, shall be punished by fine not less than...
Article (86) — Violation of any other provisions of this Law, shall be punishable by fine not less than Five Hundred...
Article (87) — The application of the penalties stipulated in this Law shall not contravene any more severe penalties...
Article (88) — In the event of repetition of the crimes stipulated in this Law, the penalties determined for such crimes...
Article (89) — The penalties stipulated in this Law shall not be applied in the event of pollution resulting from:...
Article (90) — The court located in the area where the crime occurred, shall decide on all crimes stipulated in this...

Section 9: Final Provisions
Article (91) — The level of nuclear activity or concentration of radioactive materials in air, water, food and soil...
Article (92) — The Agency shall be entitled to request the assistance of the Seaports Authorities, Armed Forces, Ministry...
Article (93) — The Agency shall provide other Parties with all available information and statements on recent and important...
Article (94) — The provisions of Articles (4), (6), (7), (38) and (58) of this law, shall not be applicable to the...
Article (95) — The Cabinet of Ministers shall, after the approval of the Board of Directors reached in coordination...
Article (96) — The Agency shall, in coordination with the Competent Authorities, establish a system of incentives and...
Article (97) — The owners of projects and establishments existing on the date of operation of this law and determined...
Article (98) — Projects and establishments existing on the date of operation of this Law, shall amend their status...
Article (99) — The Cabinet of Ministers, in consultation and coordination with the Competent Authorities, shall issue...

Article 100 — Any other provisions that may contradict or contravene this Law shall be superseded. ¶

Article (101) — This Law shall be published in the official gazette and shall come into force after three months of...

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