Environment Agency- Abu Dhabi (EAD) has implemented a pioneering pilot project that uses artificial intelligence and satellite imagery to monitor and identify random waste dumping sites across the emirate.
The project is the first-of-its-kind in the UAE to employ AI models and satellite image analysis in the field of waste management, representing a strategic shift from traditional monitoring to an intelligent system capable of automatically analyzing data and predicting potential violations.
The initiative represents a qualitative shift in environmental monitoring, enhancing oversight and improving the efficiency of the waste management system.
If expanded, the project will boost proactive monitoring of environmental violations using AI-driven satellite analysis to predict illegal dumping sites, allowing early intervention. It will also improve waste management efficiency, strengthen inter-agency governance, and reduce illegal dumping, enhancing public satisfaction and environmental quality.
After identifying sites, EAD coordinates with relevant authorities to remove waste and restore areas, continuing to monitor them to prevent recurrence and ensure long-term protection.
The project also strengthens EAD’s legislative and regulatory role, using smart digital tools and geographic data to safeguard the environment, preserve natural resources, and reduce risks to public health.
HE Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri Secretary General EAD
“This project embodies the agency’s commitment to the transformation towards a smart and sustainable environment, in line with the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031 to enhance government performance and the sustainability of vital sectors. The project also reflects the pillar of A Green Innovation, Science and Technology A Sustainable Environment Managed by Intelligence and Technology, one of the main pillars of the Abu Dhabi Environmental Centennial 2071, enabling us to anticipate environmental challenges, improve environmental quality, and promote long-term sustainability through digital innovation and artificial intelligence.”
Engineer Faisal Al Hammadi, Executive Director of the Environmental Quality Sector at EAD, said that, “The implementation of the pilot project in Al Bukariyah in the Al Ain Region reflects the agency’s commitment to transitioning towards innovative solutions based on artificial intelligence and modern technologies to enhance environmental monitoring. The project results demonstrated an accuracy exceeding 90 per cent in detecting illegal dumping sites, and the system was able to identify 150 waste sites compared to only 43 sites discovered through field monitoring during the same period. This confirms the efficiency of technological innovation and artificial intelligence and its ability to accelerate detection processes and improve the accuracy of environmental monitoring.
Al Hammadi further stated that, “The project also enabled the classification of waste with high accuracy and the study of changes in the areas of monitored sites compared to previous years, which enhances the agency’s ability to track the origin of waste and its duration, and to develop effective strategies to reduce environmental violations and improve the overall quality of the environment.”
The agency presented the project at the ISWA 2025 conference in Argentina, earning praise from experts and highlighting Abu Dhabi’s leadership in innovative environmental monitoring.
Following the pilot’s success, EAD plans to expand the project across the Emirate, creating a central AI-driven platform for satellite-based environmental monitoring, boosting government integration and supporting Abu Dhabi’s sustainability and smart governance goals.
