ع
Dubai Police seized 17 tankers and charged 18 suspects in a crackdown on illegal dumping of sewage, petrochemical waste and other hazardous materials outside approved disposal sites, Gulf News reported on September 25, 2026. The operation underscores enforcement of regulations designed to protect the environment from unauthorised waste handling. Federal and emirate-level laws outline a range of penalties that escalate with the severity of the violation and can double for repeat offences within specified periods. Authorities continue to target such activities to prevent damage to public health and natural resources.
Under Federal Law No. 24 of 1999 on the Protection and Development of the Environment, certain serious offences involving the import, transport, burial, dumping, storage or disposal of nuclear substances or nuclear waste carry fines of up to Dh10 million, Gulf News reported. The legislation also addresses specified illegal waste disposal offences by private entities under federal waste-management rules with penalties reaching Dh1 million. A separate assessment of related climate regulations by the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment ties into broader environmental protection measures that have been updated in recent years.
Dubai Law No. 18 of 2024 on Regulating Waste Management sets maximum fines of Dh500,000 for violations of the law, its implementing bylaws or related resolutions, according to the Gulf News summary of current regulations. The same legislation provides for a Dh100,000 fine for illegal wastewater disposal and Dh50,000 for disposal of hazardous waste at an unauthorised site within the emirate. Repeat violations within one year can result in doubled penalties, though they remain subject to the stated maximums.
Federal Decree-Law No. 11 of 2024 on the Reduction of Climate Change Effects, which entered into force in May 2025, imposes fines between Dh50,000 and Dh2 million for violations of greenhouse gas measurement, reporting and record-keeping requirements, a Ropes & Gray legal analysis found. These penalties double in cases of repeated offences within two years of a final conviction. The decree applies to both public and private entities across the UAE, including free zones, and forms part of the country’s wider strategy to address environmental impacts.
In Abu Dhabi, administrative fines for environmental violations range from Dh1,000 to Dh1 million depending on the severity, environmental damage caused and whether the breach is repeated, the Abu Dhabi Media Office has stated. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi suspended operations at two industrial facilities and fined another in January 2025 over repeated violations involving emissions and regulatory non-compliance. Such actions reflect ongoing efforts to enforce compliance across development, industrial, biodiversity and marine sectors.
Separate legislation protecting plant and animal species and regulating their international trade provides for fines from Dh30,000 to Dh2 million along with possible custodial sentences of up to four years, Khaleej Times reported in April 2026. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment oversees implementation, including issuance of certificates and combating illegal trade. Offenders must cover all associated costs for seizure, transport, care and disposal of specimens, with mandatory deportation for repeat foreign violators.
