Riyadh hosts several industrial cities managed by the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (MODON), including the Second and Third Industrial Cities, home to large numbers of factories, warehouses and industrial service workshops. An industrial city provides land and infrastructure, but it does not exempt a factory from environmental compliance: the environmental permit, reports, records and the audit at renewal. This guide is written for facility owners in Riyadh's industrial cities and is based on the Environment Law and its implementing regulations.

What every facility in an industrial city needs

  • A valid operating permit: NCEC sets its validity at no less than three and no more than six years, depending on the size of the activity and the complexity of its operations.
  • Compliance with permit conditions: the permit is issued with its validity and the conditions set by NCEC, which the holder must meet.
  • The environmental management plan and self-monitoring reports: NCEC monitors the plan throughout the activity and requests and reviews self-monitoring reports.
  • Up-to-date environmental records: waste, hazardous materials, emissions, discharges and maintenance.
  • A new permit before any change: a new operating permit is required before any change to the type or size of the activity.

The environmental audit at renewal

The Environmental Permits Regulation states that renewing the operating permit requires an environmental audit study for Category 2 and 3 facilities every three years, under the Environmental Inspection and Audit Regulation. That regulation defines the audit as an objective, systematic, periodic and documented examination of a facility's operations to verify that it meets environmental conditions and standards and to improve its environmental performance.

The study is prepared by an NCEC-licensed provider and submitted with the renewal request. NCEC decides within 30 days, may extend review by 15 days and may inspect the site to match the study with reality. On approval, the owner undertakes to implement the study's findings and recommendations. Abak Green's license scope covers environmental audits for Category 2 facilities inside industrial cities and similar areas.

Emissions: what the Air Quality Regulation says

Many factories have furnace, boiler or dust-collector stacks. The Air Quality Regulation requires operators of stationary sources that are not subject to continuous monitoring to carry out annual measurements and analyses on all their stacks through an NCEC-licensed provider. Initial measurements on all stacks are required within 120 days of the facility's establishment or 40 days of reaching the target production rate, whichever comes first. Operation, malfunction, calibration and maintenance records must be kept for at least five years, and NCEC must be notified immediately of emergencies or start-up and shutdown events that may exceed emission standards.

Noise at the factory boundary

The Noise Regulation sets the limit for industrial areas, measured at the outer boundary of the activity, at 70 dB by day (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) and 65 dB at night. These limits may not be exceeded without an NCEC permit, and facilities whose permit requires noise monitoring must keep the data for at least three years.

Industrial and hazardous waste

The Waste Management Law requires waste producers to reduce waste, store it in designated places and sort recyclables, and prohibits leaving, burying or burning waste outside designated places. No waste management activity may be carried out without a license or permit from MWAN. Most importantly for factories, anyone who hands waste to an unlicensed person is jointly liable with them for damages and compensation. Check the carrier's license and keep the transport document for every shipment.

Findings we see repeatedly in industrial-city factories

  • Hazardous waste stored without containment, or without licensed-carrier documents.
  • Production lines or raw materials added without amending the permit.
  • Stack measurements not carried out or not documented.
  • Outdated records or late self-monitoring reports.
  • Industrial wastewater discharged without adequate pretreatment.

After an inspection: the corrective plan deadline

If an inspection reveals findings, the Inspection and Audit Regulation requires the facility to carry out the immediate corrective actions set by NCEC and to submit an action plan for measures that cannot be implemented immediately within 30 days of the inspection results. NCEC decides on the plan within 15 working days, and a 30-day extension may be requested with a preliminary plan.

Checklist for a factory in an industrial city

  • Operating permit expiry date and conditions are known.
  • The environmental audit is scheduled ahead of renewal (Categories 2 and 3).
  • Annual stack measurements are done through a licensed provider.
  • Licensed-carrier contracts and transport documents are on file.
  • No changes to production or storage without approval.

Frequently Asked Questions about Compliance in Riyadh's Industrial Cities

Are environmental procedures faster in industrial cities?

Industrial cities provide land and infrastructure, but the environmental permit follows the same NCEC path, with the timelines and requirements set for each category.

Does every factory need an environmental audit?

The audit is required when renewing the operating permit for Category 2 and 3 facilities, and NCEC may require it for any category by a reasoned decision.

When should I start the audit before renewal?

Early enough to fix any gaps it reveals, then allow for NCEC's review of up to 30 days, extendable by 15 days.

Do you visit factories in the Second and Third Industrial Cities?

Yes. Site visits are an essential part of environmental management plans, audits and addressing inspection findings.

How Abak Green helps

Our office is in Al Malaz, Riyadh, and we reach your facility in the industrial cities for site visits. We manage the environmental permit file, compliance reports, coordination of measurements, the environmental audit study before renewal, and corrective plans after inspections. Contact us about your factory.

Official references

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