Makkah: The National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) said it has intensified monitoring of high-impact environmental activities during this year's Hajj season, with continuous inspections of slaughterhouses in the holy sites. The center's efforts are focused on ensuring the safe handling of solid and liquid waste generated from millions of Udhiyah animals on the first day of Eid Al-Adha.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the center reported that it had carried out more than 843 inspection visits to environmentally impactful facilities by the midpoint of the second phase of the Hajj season, which runs from Dhu Al-Hijjah 1 to 12. NCEC's General Manager of Inspection and Compliance, Abdullah Al-Eyouni, affirmed that slaughterhouse operations are among the key activities targeted for environmental monitoring. He added that this is particularly the case during the Hajj season, when facilities operate at expanded capacity and produce large volumes of solid and liquid waste.
Al-Eyouni stressed that the center is overseeing the safe disposal of such waste in line with approved environmental regulations, noting that slaughterhouses are classified as high-impact activities because of increased operational capacity and the large quantities of waste generated during the season. He further added that the center is also reviewing emergency response and occupational safety procedures as well as environmental management plans at slaughterhouses across the holy sites to ensure compliance with environmental standards.