ABU DHABI, 14th January 2022 (WAM) - Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED) has directed commercial and industrial facilities in the Emirate to license warehouses of hazardous materials away from their headquarters as branches to support ADDED's role in monitoring the movement of hazardous materials.

The Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of ADDED, in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Hazardous Materials Management Team (AD-HMMT), initiated new procedures on licensing branches to store materials for commercial and industrial activities, which require warehouses away from their headquarters or business locations. Special requirements, in line with criteria and stipulations of regulatory government entities were introduced.

Sameh Abdulla Al Qubaisi, Director General of Economic Affairs at ADDED, said, "IDB targets 900 licenses practicing economic activities regulated by ADDED to achieve the objectives of AD-HMMT, which includes many government departments in Abu Dhabi. ADDED has issued a circular requesting all concerned commercial and industrial facilities to adopt the integrated system for the management of hazardous materials, which is an important element to monitor the movement of these materials in the economic sector".

"AD-HMMT, including representatives from IDB, has directed stakeholders regarding the system via direct contact with the concerned personnel in the industrial facility. It checked 345 industrial facilities to ensure adherence to ADDED's circular on the integrated system of hazardous materials management," Al Qubaisi added.

"The team at IDB has supported the registration of 341 industrial facility in the integrated system of hazardous materials management and control," said Nabil Saleh Al-Awlaki, Director of Environment, Health, and Safety at IDB.

"100 visits were made to concerned industrial facilities to ensure adherence to health, preventive and public safety requirements for all activities related to hazardous materials, including usage, transport, and storage," Al-Awlaki concluded.