Article 30 of the Saudi Waste Management Law

This article identifies the body that investigates and prosecutes the most serious violations of the Law.

The rule: the Public Prosecution is responsible for investigation and prosecution before the competent court in the violations referred to in Article 29.

The violations meant are those punished by Article 29: storing, burning, treating or sinking waste or disposing of it in any way that poses a danger to public health or harm to the environment, punishable by imprisonment of up to ten years and a fine of up to thirty million riyals, or either.

This means these violations are treated as crimes: the Public Prosecution investigates them, then prosecutes them before the competent court, and the court is the one that imposes the penalty.

Article 31 sets out the powers of the competent court in these violations, including:

• Imposing the penalties provided for in Article 29.
• Ordering confiscation of the seized items that are the subject of the violation.
• Imposing a fine for each day the violator continues the violation of no more than 10% of the amount of the fine stated in Article 29.
• Doubling the fine for repeat offenses within three years of the judgment becoming final.
• Publishing a summary of the judgment at the violator's expense after it becomes final.

Anyone accused of one of these violations should consult a lawyer specialized in criminal matters.