JEDDAH: The Presidency of Meteorology and Environment Protection (PME) and police in Makkah province foiled an attempt to dump large quantities of toxic waste in a desert located in Rabigh, Asharq Al-Awsat reported yesterday.
“The expatriate worker of a waste disposal company, who was emptying a truckload of harmful waste in the desert in violation of the environment and waste disposal regulations, has been arrested and the higher officials of the company will face legal action,” a PME source who preferred to remain anonymous, told the newspaper.
The specific type of waste involved was not mentioned in the report.
“The erring company, which has waste-disposal contracts with several large factories in Saudi Arabia, is one of the Kingdom’s eight companies licensed to dispose of industrial and medical waste. But it has to recycle the waste or bury it under specified depths at permitted locations,” the source added.
“After apprehending the worker, the officials took the waste truck to the nearest site where dumping industrial and medical wastes are permitted,” the source said.
“PME, in collaboration with police and the governor’s office, takes measures to guarantee that no toxic waste is thrown away in a manner that may harm humans or the environment,” the source said.
An erring company faces penal measures, such as paying a fine and the cancellation of its license.
Last year, PME officials caught workers of a company red-handed while illegally dumping toxic wastes at a rural location in Madinah province.
According to the Saudi environment regulations, any activity that directly or indirectly involves depositing substances in the soil that may cause harm to the physical, chemical or biological features or threaten the health of people is against the law.
