Large patches of oil , usually  spotted in the seas/beaches/creeks  across UAE were believed to have been caused by waste oil from car wash stations and auto workshops as  a result of oil change. Tankers disposed  of their load of used oil along the beach. These tankers were usually driven to the shore late at night. It seems that auto workshops and car wash stations had been doing this for a long time. This is not only detrimental to  public health  but also to the environment especially in the area that is intended to be a natural reserve.

In the last three years, Dubai municipality imposed new rules so that anybody caught illegally dumping waste will have their residency visa cancelled, be slapped with a Dh100,000 fine and have their vehicle impounded for three months. This has been effective.  Over the last three years, it cracked down on auto workshops and tankers that illegally dump their chemical waste, with the number of fines drastically falling from 582 in 2010, 21 in 2012 and down to 11 in 2013.

But still the seas/creeks seem contaminated with oil so the activity of illegal dumping by tankers  can no longer  be considered one of the main contributors to water pollution as access to and from Dubai Creek, as well as ports are closely monitored by municipal inspectors.

Most of the illegal discharge of oil that seeps into the sea through sewerage happens at auto workshops, when mechanics carry out oil changes, do not clean up the area properly afterwards, and then drain the residue into drains and manholes. They also connect plastic pipes together and directly remove the oil from the car under repair, and into the drainage.

Motorists who drive with oil leaking from their engines also unknowingly contribute to polluting beaches, particularly after rain, when the oil ends up in the sewerage and out into Jumeirah Beach and other nearby beaches.

Not all the pollutants are from the sewerage as they also come from dhows in the Creek that are either involved in a fire accident or have an engine leak. In such instances of a fire, like the one which recently happened last March near Jadaf port, Municipality makes a vacuum with a skimmer at the marine section to clean up whatever pollutants are contaminating the water, such as oil, plastic, and whatever else is inside the dhows.

The municipality has clear-cut guidelines on how to dump industrial waste and anybody found not following that are being reprimanded .

All such measures by City municipality once again proves how serious and concerned is Dubai/UAE on environment & hygiene. We all should co-operate with them as it is our responsibility as well to keep creeks , beaches and seas clean to enjoy safe and sound health and ambience.