Riyadh: The National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) has announced that it has imposed fines exceeding SAR16 million for 557 violations of the Procedural Guide for Dust Control and Mitigation, as part of efforts to strengthen compliance with environmental requirements and improve ambient air quality around projects within the urban area.
According to Saudi Press Agency, Director of NCEC's Riyadh branch Eng. Fawaz Al-Mujathil said the campaign was launched in February in collaboration with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the Riyadh Municipality. Since its launch, inspection teams have carried out more than 3,000 field inspections at construction sites across the city.
He noted that inspectors identified a number of projects that failed to comply with approved dust mitigation requirements, including the implementation of emission control measures during construction activities. These requirements include installing on-site air quality monitoring devices, applying dust suppressants, ensuring that transport trucks are properly covered, and complying with transportation procedures outlined in the technical guidelines.
Al-Mujathil explained that the recorded violations were identified through a combination of air quality data collected from monitoring stations, reports submitted by residents living near construction sites, and around-the-clock field inspections conducted by environmental compliance teams.
He added that non-compliant sites responded by taking corrective measures to eliminate dust-generating activities and implement the requirements set out in the Procedural Guide, which is available on the official websites of NCEC and the commission.
Al-Mujathil reaffirmed that field inspections of construction projects across Riyadh will continue, urging developers and contractors to fully comply with dust prevention, mitigation, and control requirements. He emphasized that adherence to these measures plays a vital role in minimizing the environmental impacts of construction activities, improving air quality, protecting public health, and supporting Riyadh's sustainability and quality-of-life objectives.