Dubai: Quarrying in the UAE can only be conducted using best practices that protect the environment, according to a new decree from the Ministry of Environment and Water.
Dr Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahd, Minister of Environment and Water, issued Ministerial Decree No 567 for 2014 regulating the installation, management and operation of quarries and crushers in the country.
The decree is in line with the ministry’s framework to develop legislations and regulations that comply with the environmental federal legislations to ensure environmental sustainability. The new ministerial order was issued in order to protect the environment and residents living in surrounding areas by working with the competent authorities.
Companies operating crushers, quarries, and related industries have been given 180 days to comply with the provisions and article of the decree, the exact details of which were unavailable to the media at the time of going to press.
The regulations also apply to cement plants, ceramic and terrazzo tile factories, marble factories and all construction projects involving rock excavations, quarrying and crushing operations.
An official from the ministry said inspectors will regularly survey quarry sites and related industries and conduct regular meetings with companies to allow them to enforce the changes necessary in their operations.
