In force
Saudi Waste Management Law
نظام إدارة النفايات
The law governing waste management. The text is set out in 38 articles.
- Articles
- 38
- In force
- 38
- Amended
- 0
- Issued
- 5/1/1443 AH
Issued by: مرسوم ملكي رقم (م/3) وتاريخ 1443/1/5هـ · قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم (11) وتاريخ 1443/1/2هـ
Each article shows the official Arabic text, which is the only legally binding version, followed by our plain-English explanation.
Browse Waste Management Law by topic
Definitions and Scope of the Waste Management Law6 articlesWaste Management License and Permit3 articlesPowers of the National Center for Waste Management4 articlesOwnership of Waste and the Ban on Dumping2 articlesObligations of the Waste Producer4 articlesWaste from Vessels and Ports1 articleObligations of the Waste Management Service Provider3 articlesTransporting Hazardous Waste1 articleImporting and Exporting Waste1 articleEmergencies and Suspension of Waste Activity2 articlesFees for Waste Services1 articleCivil Liability and Compensation for Waste Damage5 articlesInspection and Detecting Waste Violations1 articleOffenses of Harmful Waste Disposal3 articlesFines for Violating the Waste Management Law3 articles
Articles of the Saudi Waste Management Law
الفصل الأول: التعريفاتArticles 1–1
الفصل الثاني: أحكام عامةArticles 2–10
- Article 2The article shows that the Waste Management Law aims to regulate the activities of collecting, transporting, sorting, storing, importing, exporting, treating and safely disposing of waste, including aftercare of disposal sites.
- Article 3The article excludes radioactive and nuclear waste and military waste from the application of the provisions of the Waste Management Law.
- Article 4The article prohibits carrying out any activity relating to waste management without first obtaining a license or permit from the Center, according to the conditions of each activity and the Implementing Regulations.
- Article 5The article obliges everyone carrying out a waste management activity to deliver the best environmental and economic results according to these priorities: recycling, then resource recovery, then safe disposal.
- Article 6The article obliges every person concerned with implementing voluntary programs, plans or initiatives relating to waste management to meet the controls issued by the Center under the Implementing Regulations.
- Article 7The article transfers ownership of waste to the State when it is placed in designated containers, near them or in public places for storage or disposal, and gives the Center the right to dispose of it.
- Article 8The article prohibits leaving, burying, burning, sinking or throwing waste of any kind in places other than those designated for it, and leaves the controls to the Implementing Regulations.
- Article 9The article requires the Center to prepare and update the comprehensive strategic plan for waste management and to prepare emergency plans, and requires each competent authority to set executive plans consistent with it.
- Article 10The article tasks the Center with issuing the controls and requirements that the service provider and the waste producer must follow, and with classifying waste according to its hazard and its effect on public health and the environment.
الفصل الثالث: مسؤولية منتج النفايةArticles 11–14
- Article 11The article obliges the waste producer to rationalize resources, reuse products, reduce waste, store it in designated places, and sort what is recyclable, as set by the Implementing Regulations.
- Article 12The article obliges residential and commercial complexes and government administrative bodies, subject to the measures in Article 11, to contract with a licensed service provider, as set by the Implementing Regulations.
- Article 13The article obliges the operator or owner of a marine vessel to deliver its waste to port reception facilities, the Ports Authority to provide the reception mechanism, and ports to contract with licensed providers and supply the Center with records.
- Article 14The article obliges every producer and importer to bear extended producer responsibility, to achieve financial sustainability of the waste sector on the principle of the circular economy, with procedures set by the Implementing Regulations.
الفصل الرابع: التعاقد على تقديم خدمات إدارة النفاياتArticles 15–15
الفصل الخامس: مسؤولية مقدم الخدمةArticles 16–18
- Article 16The article sets out the obligations of the waste management service provider: disposing of waste by the methods the Center specifies, verifying waste information and the transport document, periodic reports, and accepting waste within its license.
- Article 17The article sets out the obligations of those licensed to transport hazardous waste, including vehicles meeting the Center's specifications, warning signs, documents, notifying the authority of routes and parking, and washing and disinfecting.
- Article 18The article obliges the transport service provider, if waste cannot be delivered to its approved destination, to return it to its producer, who bears responsibility for treating and disposing of it under the Implementing Regulations.
الفصل السادس: استيراد النفايات وتصديرهاArticles 19–19
الفصل السابع: التعامل مع الحالات الطارئةArticles 20–21
- Article 20The article allows the Minister or his delegate, after coordinating with the relevant bodies, to activate the waste emergency plan or suspend an activity wholly or partly for up to 30 days to avert a disaster.
- Article 21The article requires a service provider, in emergency incidents or serious errors causing a disruption in waste management, to notify the Center and submit a report on the causes, measures and effects.
الفصل الثامن: المقابل الماليArticles 22–23
- Article 22The article gives the Center's board the power to set the fees for the licenses, permits and services it provides, and a fee on waste producers, taking operating cost into account.
- Article 23The article allows the National Center for Waste Management to assign the provision of some of its services to the private sector.
الفصل التاسع: المسؤولية المدنية والجزائية والتأهيل والتعويضاتArticles 24–27
- Article 24The article gives examples of waste damage that gives rise to civil or criminal liability, such as property loss, environmental restoration and injury, provided it arises from intent, gross negligence, mismanagement or violation.
- Article 25The article requires a service provider operating a waste management facility to provide a financial guarantee or insurance covering its civil liability for damages when it obtains the license.
- Article 26The article makes the waste producer and service provider bear civil and criminal liability for waste management damage, the carrier liable for transport pollution, and anyone depositing waste with an unlicensed person jointly liable with him.
- Article 27The article directs the Center to determine, on scientific and fair bases, the amount of liability borne by a service provider or waste producer for the damages of their activities, to be approved by the Minister under the Implementing Regulations.
الفصل العاشر: المخالفات وضبطها وإيقاع العقوباتArticles 28–35
- Article 28The article regulates the work of inspectors who detect violations: taking samples and drawing up reports, seizing vehicles and tools with submission to the court within 7 days, banning obstruction of them, and assigning administrative inspection to specialized companies.
- Article 29The article punishes with up to 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of up to SAR 30 million, or either, anyone who stores, burns or disposes of waste in a way that harms public health or the environment.
- Article 30The article makes the Public Prosecution the body that investigates and prosecutes before the competent court harmful waste disposal violations referred to in Article 29.
- Article 31The article gives the court hearing Article 29 violations the powers to impose penalties, confiscate, impose a daily fine of up to 10% of the fine, double the fine for repeat offenses within 3 years, and publish the judgment summary.
- Article 32The article punishes violators of the Law, the Implementing Regulations and license and permit conditions, other than Article 29 violations, with a fine of up to SAR 10 million, suspension of the license for up to 6 months, or cancellation, doubled for repeat offenses.
- Article 33The article assigns hearing violations of the Law, other than Article 29, and imposing the Article 32 penalties to a committee formed by the Minister, whose decisions may be challenged before the competent court within 60 days.
- Article 34The article gives the violations committee, in addition to the Article 32 penalties, the power to impose a daily fine of up to 10% of the fine for continuing the violation, and to publish a summary of the decision at the violator's expense.
- Article 35The article requires the violator to remove the effects of the violation, carry out rehabilitation and pay the resulting compensation, as the Implementing Regulations specify.
الفصل الحادي عشر: أحكام ختاميةArticles 36–38
- Article 36The article requires the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture to issue the Implementing Regulations in coordination with the Minister of Municipal, Rural Affairs and Housing and the Minister of Health within 60 days of the Law's publication.
- Article 37The article provides that the Waste Management Law replaces the Municipal Solid Waste Management Law issued by Royal Decree No. M/48 dated 17/9/1434 AH.
- Article 38The article provides that the Waste Management Law takes effect after 60 days from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette.