The National Center for Environmental Compliance recorded 557 violations of the requirements of the procedural guide for dust control and management in Riyadh, with a total value exceeding 16 million riyals, as part of efforts to raise the level of environmental compliance and improve air quality around construction projects within the urban area.

Engineer Fawaz Al-Mujathil, director of the center's branch in Riyadh, explained that the campaign was launched last February in cooperation with the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and the Riyadh Municipality. Field teams conducted more than 3,000 inspection rounds on construction projects, during which a number of those projects were found non-compliant with approved procedures to reduce dust emissions.

The observed violations include failure to implement emission control measures during construction work, such as installing air quality monitoring devices at sites, spraying dust suppressants, covering transport trucks, and adhering to transport movement according to the technical guide requirements.

Al-Mujathil noted that the violations resulted from an integrated monitoring system that included analyzing air quality indicators from monitoring stations, reports submitted by residents in neighborhoods adjacent to projects, as well as round-the-clock inspection tours. He pointed out that the violating sites showed a positive response by stopping dust sources and working to apply the requirements of the procedural guide published on the website of the center and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City.

The director of the Riyadh branch affirmed the continuation of field monitoring of construction projects, calling on all developers and contractors to adhere to dust emission control procedures, given their pivotal role in reducing the environmental impacts of construction work, improving air quality, and protecting public health, thereby contributing to achieving sustainability and quality of life goals in Riyadh.