Riyadh: The National Center for Environmental Compliance said those who illegally dispose of “hazardous materials in environmental surroundings” face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to SR30 million ($8 million), or both penalties. The penalties are due to “the gravity of this violation and the resulting severe damage to the environment,” according to the center’s official spokesman, Abdullah Sayel Al-Mutairi. According to Saudi Arabia’s environmental laws, hazardous waste is “waste that causes harm to the environment, its components, and human health, and retains dangerous or infectious properties, such as high toxicity, explosiveness, or interaction, and has no use unless it is treated in accordance with special requirements.” (L to R) Dr. Fahd Turkestani, Abdullah Sayel Al-Mutairi and Dr. Sattam Al-Mojil. Al-Mutairi urged citizens, residents, and public and private facilities to “avoid the disposal of hazardous materials in environmental surroundings” and to report any cases of improper disposal to preserve the environment. The spokesman emphasized the importance of obtaining the necessary licenses and permits before engaging in any activity that may have an impact on the environment. Sattam Al-Mojil, assistant professor of environmental engineering at King Saud University, said this action is part of the National Environment Strategy 2030, in accordance with which many regulations have been created in order to achieve national objectives as well as sectoral and regional targets for environmental development. Hazardous pollutants, whether liquid, solid, or gaseous, are viewed as primary pollutants that should be dealt with accordingly because of the significant harm they pose to the environment’s components, such as soil and surface water, and to living organisms. As a result, those who improperly dispose of hazardous waste now face harsher penalties. Al-Mojil, who is also an advisor at the Ministry of Economy and Planning, noted that there are numerous programs, initiatives and joint government efforts with private sector participation aimed at achieving sound waste management in the Kingdom. He emphasized the importance of raising awareness about the risks and necessary procedures and providing treatment plants or finding suitable landfills for the final disposal of hazardous waste, with capacities compatible with industrial and economic activity in the region. Al-Mojil said that this latest step is a continuation of previous efforts and will be improved upon until targets are met. The hefty fines will help to ensure the proper management of hazardous waste, from production sites to the final stage of disposal, in a systematic manner. Among these efforts is the Kingdom’s Comprehensive Waste Management Project, which was prepared in 2018 by the Ministry of Economy and Planning and which would see the establishment of a center to control all types of waste management in the Kingdom, both hazardous and non-hazardous. Dr. Fahd Turkestani, associate professor of chemistry at Umm Al-Qura University, said that waste “comes primarily from factories that use hazardous and toxic chemicals such as cobalt, nickel, cyanide, and mercury.” Radioactive waste is considered hazardous to the land and lethal to living organisms and may have a direct impact on groundwater or water resources as it remains in the land for years, causing serious environmental damage. Turkestani believes that the “severe” penalties imposed on violators of the hazardous material laws are proportionate to their actions, which may be considered crimes against nature.