Levels of industrial pollutants in Abu Dhabi below federal limits

ABU DHABI / WAM

Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of The Department of Economic Development (DED), has said that the levels of all pollutants from industrial establishments in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi were lower than federally accepted limits for 2015.
The IDB expressed its intention to set a register for technical inspection and testing companies in coordination with the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council to evaluate industrial establishments that apply for licenses in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, including machinery and equipment that needs to be checked and tested, like lifting equipment, pressure vessels, machines, tanks, corrosion and radiographic testing.
According to Ayman Makkawy, IDB Director-General, who was talking on the sidelines of the International Exhibition for National Security and Resilience, ISNR 2016, which draws to a conclusion tomorrow at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, 16 foreign industrial establishments were registered in 2015 to conduct technical inspections and tests.
Makkawy said that according to a Memorandum of Association signed between the Higher Corporation for Specialized Economic Zones and the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi in 2010, it was agreed to implement a programme to monitor the atmosphere in industrial zones in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi using the stations to monitor air quality and noise levels around establishments.
He added that the environmental monitoring programme is carried out by an external party to ensure compliance with federal standards, which submits monthly and annual reports to the EHS regulatory authority in the industrial sector, represented by the Industrial Development Bureau, for evaluation and analysis.
Mr Makkawy pointed out that the Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations, AAQMS, monitor elements like sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers, to ensure commitment to federal standards.
He said that based on analysis of the resulting data, it turns out that the levels of all elements and pollutants were below the federal limits, except for particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less. He said that this is likely to be attributed to natural aspects, such as the airborne dust prevalent in the region at the time covered by the analysis.
Akkawy added that in addition to the AAQMS network and the noise monitoring stations network in Abu Dhabi’s industrial zones, the compliance of industrial establishments with the requirements of environmental licenses was also monitored by the EHS inspection system developed by the Industrial Development Bureau, integrating noise and air quality monitoring in the work place.
On a related matter, Makkawy said that the EHS regulatory authority for the industrial sector, represented by the IDB, has conducted exercises in the headquarters of industrial establishments to assess their emergency response and the procedures taken by the incident supervisor, evacuation supervisor, firefighting team and first aid team, in coordination with other stakeholders like the Civil Defence.
He explained that last year, firefighting and emergency exercises were made for 285 industrial establishments in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, where technical advice and guidance was given as per the EHS system.
The IDB’s EHS Directorate is actively involved in an ongoing initiative in the specialised economic zones to develop a food and drug zone, redistributing existing zones, reviewing the potential environmental impact of such redistribution, and actively engaging and coordinating with other stakeholders, including the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.
He added that the IDB’s EHS Directorate, in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health Centre, OSHAD, conducted a preliminary test of the online EHSMS performance in which more than 60 industrial establishments took part. He pointed out that this test allows industrial establishment to register electronically in the system and start to complete all EHS transactions and paperwork online, such as registration, performance reporting, incidence reporting, etc., with effect from the beginning of 2016.
Makkay noted that the EHS regulatory authority of the industrial sector periodically engages in a review of the code of conduct laid down by the regulatory authorities in various sectors and by Abu Dhabi Occupational Safety and Health Centre and provides review results and suggestions to improve the initial reports.
He added that IDB’s EHS Directorate has reviewed OSHAD’s electronic database and prepared reports and comments on the performance of the audit firms of Abu Dhabi Environment, Health and Safety Centre in order to meet the requirements of the regulatory framework of Abu Dhabi EHS Management System. Appropriate comments and feedback were submitted to the centre.
In this regard, Mr Makkay explained that the IDB’s EHS Directorate has prepared a detailed list of all banned chemicals produced or used as raw materials by industrial establishments in Abu Dhabi.
The directorate has further participated in the emergency planning process and has developed guidelines for the management of industrial emergencies and response to ensure a rapid and coordinated response during emergencies and effectively manage impacts and minimize fatalities, injuries and losses in properties, assets and the environment.
Talking about the IDB’s initiatives to implement the EHS system in industrial establishments, Mr. Makkawy said that in cooperation with the Environment Authority – Abu Dhabi, the EHS Directorate has developed a new system for evaluating applications for an environmental permit improve the quality of applications submitted by industrial entities and to ensure better coordination in reviewing such applications.
“The EHS Directorate has joined with the Abu Dhabi Vocational Education and Training Institute, ADVETI, to provide guidance to local UAE students in various universities and institutes on the EHS requirements in the industrial sector,” Mr. Makkawy added.