Riyadh Fines Construction Sites Over SAR 20M for Dust

The National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) has stepped up inspection and monitoring tours of construction project sites across Riyadh to control dust generated by construction activities. The intensified oversight has resulted in fines exceeding SAR 20 million for dust pollution violations at construction projects during 2026.

Earlier in the year, the center issued 557 violations totaling more than SAR 16 million for breaches of the procedural guide for dust control at construction sites in the capital. Under the unified guideline for mitigating fugitive dust emissions from construction activities in Riyadh, non-compliance can bring penalties of up to SAR 50,000 000 m² or more.

Rules and thresholds

The unified executive regulation sets a critical threshold for fine particulate matter (PM10) at 340 µg/m³, and prohibits any excavation or demolition work when wind speed exceeds 25 km/h. Developers or main contractors must submit an independent Dust Management Plan as part of the project's Environmental Management Plan at least 30 calendar days before starting site preparation, with formal approval required from the center.

Required measures include installing on-site air quality monitoring devices linked to Riyadh's unified construction dust monitoring platform, using approved dust suppressants with daily spraying of exposed surfaces, covering truck loads and stockpiles, fitting wheel-wash systems for vehicles leaving sites, equipping crushers with misting or extraction systems, and enforcing speed limits on unpaved internal roads.

Large or high-risk projects of 2,000 m² or more must run real-time air quality monitoring integrated with the city's platform for continuous oversight and immediate response to elevated dust levels. For residents living near active sites, the tighter rules aim to reduce airborne dust, improve air quality, and limit the health and daily-life impact of ongoing construction across the capital.

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