The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) held a workshop on enhanced biosecurity measures in the UAE with a focus on the Biological Waste Management Handbook. Held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Dubai, the event addressed the contingency and response plan for handling bio-waste and mitigating its impact on the environment.
The main recommendations from the workshop included adopting a unified color code for plastic bags and containers used to store waste in line with global best practices, and implementing an automated tracking system for trucks carrying bio-waste from the generator facility to the final disposal location.
Furthermore, the event addressed the topic of collaboration with higher education and training institutions to conduct training courses on the safe disposal of bio-waste. The attendees also requested an update of the third edition of the Biological Waste Management Handbook and circulation of the draft among the relevant federal and local authorities.
Participating entities comprised the municipal authorities of Dubai, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, Ajman, Fujairah, and Al Ain, the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Bee’ah, Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah, RAK Environment Protection and Development Authority, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority, Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer), Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the Dubai Health Authority, and the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital.
Among the attendees were also lab technicians from Zayed University and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory, as well as personnel from the Higher Colleges of Technology campuses in Dubai and Sharjah, the University of Dubai, the American University in Dubai, American University of Sharjah, the University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates University, Khalifa University, and Abu Dhabi University.