The Dubai Municipality has taken action after discovering tankers that were discharging wastewater in unauthorized locations. According to Dubai legislation, the discharge of wastewater into locations not approved by the authorities is prohibited.
Violations incur significant fines, including the confiscation of the vehicle and a fine of 100,000 dirhams. These actions are regulated by Resolution No. 14 of 2015, which concerns violations and sanctions related to public environmental cleanliness.
The resolution establishes fines for other public safety violations related to waste disposal. For example, dumping garbage in public areas of the emirate, in deserts, or outside designated areas is punishable by a fine of 1,000 dirhams. A fine of 1,000 dirhams is also stipulated for pouring general or organic waste into seawater, beaches, streams, or ports.
For discharging used oils into sewage systems or absorption pits, as well as for spilling them onto sidewalks and roads or into unapproved places, a fine of 3,000 dirhams is imposed. Similarly, dumping oil into the sea, beaches, streams, or ports, or failing to take measures to prevent oil spills in these areas, also incurs a fine of 3,000 dirhams.
Placing or disposing of waste or hazardous materials in unauthorized locations is subject to a fine of 5,000 dirhams. Furthermore, the disposal of construction and demolition waste, as well as waste from technical and production operations of companies, factories, and institutions, outside approved sites, also results in a 5,000 dirham fine.
Failure to take measures to prevent the leakage or runoff of wastewater from buildings or its spillage from septic tanks onto public roads is penalized with a fine of 10,000 dirhams. The largest fine, 50,000 dirhams, is prescribed for spilling any solid or liquid materials from vehicles transporting ready-mix concrete while moving on public roads, or for disposing of such materials in places not intended for this purpose.