Saudi to impose $8mln fine, 10-year jail term for Waste Management Law violation

RIYADH — A maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine not exceeding SR30 million or both will be slapped on those who violate the provisions of the new Waste Management Law.

The violations include storage, incineration, treatment, dumping or disposal of waste in any way that poses a threat to public health or damage to the environment.

The penalties include imposition of fine for each day that the violator continues to be in violation, with the fine per day not exceeding10 percent of the amount of the fine stated in the law.

The fine imposed on the violator will be doubled in the event of repetition of the violation, and whoever repeats committing the violation within three years from the date of issuing the final judgment will be counted as a repeat offender, and this will be without prejudice to any severe penalty stipulated in any other law.

The new law also stipulates penalties for the violations related to license for dealing with waste management. The penalties include fine amounting to SR10 million, suspension of the license or permit for a period not exceeding six months, or cancellation of the license.

According to the law, no activity related to waste management shall be practiced without obtaining a license or permit from the National Center for Waste Management. The center licenses all service providers, establishments, investors and facilities related to waste management activities of all kinds, except for radioactive ones.

The provisions of the new law do not apply to radioactive, nuclear and military waste. Ownership of the waste is transferred to the State in the event that the waste is placed in the containers designated for it, or near it, or the waste is placed in any public location for its storage, or in the safe disposal sites.

The law consists of 11 chapters that define the law as well as its provisions and penalties. It aims to regulate the activities of waste collection, transportation, sorting, storage, import, export, treatment and safe disposal, including aftercare at disposal sites.

As per the law, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing enjoys the jurisdiction to continue to deal with commercial and residential waste collection fees for a period of two years.

This will be with a condition that the National Center for Waste Management completes the study of the appropriate financial model for the system and determines the financial compensation required from each of the categories of waste producers before the end of the specified period.