The UAE has banned for two years the import of any scrap materials to eliminate the possibility of any radioactive substances entering the country.

"All kinds of scrap metal, iron or other materials will not be imported into the UAE for two years, either by land, air or sea," said the Cabinet decision.

The decision, taken by the Cabinet on June 16, aims to protect the country from any nuclear agent or other hazardous material that might have been stolen from Iraq's nuclear laboratories during the war, as reported by some international organisations.

Cabinet decision No. 294/1 for 2003 is based on a memorandum submitted by the Ministry of Water and Electricity, the civic body assigned to implement Federal Law No. 1 for 2002 concerning control of the use of radioactive substances.

As the body responsible for recommending protective measures against radioactivity, the ministry clearly cited the concerns and warnings expressed by officials in international agencies. As a precautionary measure, the ministry requested the Cabinet to ban imports of aall scrap for two years.

The decision also states the ministry will purchase radioactive and nuclear detecting systems worth Dh2 million to be used at the UAE's main entry points – land, sea and air – during the ban.