UAE rules on plastics, fire alarms, prize draws and Emiratisation in force from today
▶ Homeowners subject to warnings and fines if they have not fitted Hassantuk safety system
A series of laws and rulings come into force today across the UAE.
They cover a wide range of issues, from single-use plastics and fire safety to prize draws and Emiratisation.
A ban on single-use plastic bags is being adopted by all emirates.
Dubai will phase out single-use plastic bags from today, with other emirates expected to follow, after Abu Dhabi banned most types in 2022.
Starting from January 1 next year, single-use plastic products, including items such as stirrers, table covers, cups, styrofoam food containers, plastic straws and plastic cotton swabs, will also be prohibited.
The following year, the ban will extend to other single-use plastics, including plates, food containers, tableware cups and plastic lids.
Today also marks the deadline for a number of Emiratisation targets.
Smaller businesses with 20 to 49 employees must have at least one Emirati on staff by today. Fines will be imposed on employers who have not met the target.
By January 1 next year, companies must have at least two Emirati employees, with subsequent fines of Dh108,000 for non-compliance.
Businesses with 50 or more employees have also passed the deadline for making sure at least four per cent of their employees are Emirati.
The target of six per cent by the end of the year, with a goal of 10 per cent by the end of 2026, has now been set.
Businesses with 50 or more employees that fail to meet these targets are to be fined Dh84,000, up from Dh72,000 last year.
Fire safety in the UAE also crossed a milestone as the government alarm system, Hassantuk, is now mandatory in all private villas and townhouses.
Apartments are excluded from the order, as building complexes already have the necessary detectors in place.
Hassantuk functions by alerting the nearest command centre when smoke is detected.
If a call to the property verifies the fire, emergency responders are dispatched directly to the location.
Players who hope to hit the jackpot on any of the UAE’s raffles and draws will have to put their dreams on hold as operators have been instructed to pause business from today.
Previously, residents have been able to win anything from a few dirhams to Dh200 million with companies such as Mahzooz, Emirates Draw, Big Ticket and Dubai Duty Free.
“In compliance with applicable commercial gaming regulations, Mahzooz will temporarily pause operations from January 1, 2024,” the operator said.
The UAE is also expected to join the Brics group from today, along with Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia. Argentina was also due to join the group, which comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, but has reportedly reversed its decision.
The Brics membership will help the UAE pursue its annual growth target of 7 per cent or more to double the size of its economy by 2031.
Homeowners who have not installed the UAE’s fire safety system, Hassantuk, by today face an initial warning followed by a fine of Dh1,000 ($272).
The deadline was set as part of a cabinet decision in September 2020 after several fatal house fires in the Emirates.
The Ministry of Interior will first issue a warning to non-compliant owners, before issuing the fine for not arranging installation of the fire safety system.
Anyone, including tenants, found damaging or disabling the fire alarm system will also be fined Dh1,000, in accordance with Cabinet Decree No 85 of 2020.
It has not been made clear how soon after the warning the fine will be applied, nor how regularly homeowners will be fined for non-compliance.
To improve fire safety measures, property owners are required to enrol in the Hassantuk
e-alert system, which sends notifications of fires to the civil defence.
This applies only to villas and townhouses, as blocks of flats are already equipped with mandatory fire detection systems.
Hassantuk uses a radio network with wireless sensors to ensure installation without the need for wiring.
The wireless safety system is designed to connect directly to a command room where emergency workers will be alerted to the case of a fire, verify it, and send a response team.
The system has several functions, including alarm verification and providing firefighters with precise location details and the most efficient route to the fire incident.
If the alarm is activated, someone from the Hassantuk command centre will call to verify the fire.
The ministry said a Dh200 fine will be issued if all three attempts to call go unanswered, as per the law. If the owner has rented out the property, they need to update the contact information in order to ensure the tenant receives the call.
While adherence to the scheme has for some time been obligatory for newly constructed properties, existing homeowners had until today to register.
It is already in operation in public buildings such as schools and hospitals.
The basic plan starts from just over Dh237 a month for 24 months, or there is the option to make a one-time payment of Dh5,903, according to the Ministry of Interior’s official website. After booking and completing a survey, homeowners will be given a quote depending on the size of the home.
It will include the fire alarm panel and sensors needed.
Payment can be completed through the business centre by cash or bank card, or through the online portal.
Subscription contracts, which are payable to etisalat by e&, have a minimum commitment period of 10 years, after which a rolling one-year extension is applied.
To complete the installation of the fire safety system, the property must have a functioning plug socket near the front door.
“The service requires access to power near the entrance of the home,” reads the Hassantuk website.
“As a homeowner, you are responsible to provide access to the power socket where alarm panel will be installed.”
The website also says that if there is no power supply near the entrance to the home, the owner will have five days from the date of the survey to have one installed.
According to Civil Defence General Command of the Ministry of Interior, most fires that occurred in residential areas in the UAE during 2022 were caused by factors including electrical faults, incense burning, cooking, ironing and smoking.
“Homeowners should register in the Hassantuk programme and install fire detectors to protect their homes and people’s lives. The deadline is January 1 to comply with the cabinet order,” the ministry told
It added that 43,000 detectors had been installed in villas by September. The figures do not include Dubai.
“[Hassantuk] has successfully prevented over 400 real fire incidents, thus saving lives and protecting properties,” the ministry added.
Most fires in UAE homes during 2022 were caused by electrical faults, incense burning, cooking, ironing and smoking