Food and pharmaceutical warehouses are supervised by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) for product safety and storage conditions. But a warehouse is also an activity with an environmental impact, whose requirements the National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC) sets through environmental classification. Three things stand out environmentally in these warehouses: cooling systems and their gases, spoiled or expired products, and the volume of packaging waste. This article explains the environmental permit for dry and cold food warehouses and pharmaceutical warehouses, and what the regulations require for each aspect.
Three types, three environmental files
| Type | Main environmental aspects |
|---|---|
| Dry food warehouses | Large packaging waste volumes, spoiled food, pest control chemicals and their storage, transport fleet |
| Chilled and frozen food warehouses | Cooling systems, their gases and maintenance, energy use, backup generators, spoiled products after cooling failures |
| Pharmaceutical warehouses | Expired, returned or damaged medicines treated as hazardous waste, plus the cold chain for sensitive medicines |
What determines the permit requirements?
NCEC sets the warehouse's category after reviewing the classification form, according to the criteria of the Environmental Permits Regulation: type and size of activity, energy used, location and land use, and surrounding sensitive receptors. A large cold store with generators and a fleet differs from a small dry warehouse. Changing what is stored, from dry to chilled food or adding medicines or chemicals, changes the type of activity and needs a new operating permit before it happens under the regulation.
Cooling: requirements of the Ozone-Depleting Substances Regulation
Refrigerants are regulated by the Implementing Regulation for Ozone-Depleting Substances and Hydrofluorocarbons, whose provisions relevant to cold stores include:
- Controlled substances may not be used or stored, or used in new or existing facilities, without an NCEC permit.
- Anyone repairing or servicing equipment containing them needs an NCEC license or permit and must use recovery equipment instead of releasing them.
- Controlled substances and equipment may not be disposed of without NCEC approval.
- Anyone carrying out an activity using these substances submits semi-annual statements of quantities used, stored and disposed of.
In practice: documented periodic maintenance of cooling systems by a licensed contractor, a log of gas added and recovered, and immediate repair of leaks.
Spoiled and expired goods: the most sensitive point
- Spoiled food: isolated from sound products in a marked area, quantities documented, and transported by parties licensed by the National Center for Waste Management (MWAN) to approved sites, never thrown out in bulk with general waste.
- Expired and returned medicines: treated as hazardous waste and handed to a licensed carrier for delivery to a licensed facility, with a transport document for every shipment. MWAN's conditions prohibit carriers from delivering hazardous waste to unlicensed facilities.
- Liability: the Waste Management Law makes anyone who deposits waste with an unlicensed person jointly liable for damages. Documentation protects you at inspection and proves the product did not return to the market.
Generators, energy and noise
Cold stores rely on backup generators and fuel tanks. The Air Quality Regulation requires regular maintenance of combustion equipment, immediate notification of emergencies that may exceed emission standards, and operation and maintenance records. Compressors, condensers and generators run day and night, and the Noise Regulation sets 65 dB by day and 55 at night for commercial areas including warehouses, so a warehouse next to residential areas needs insulation and careful equipment placement.
Packaging waste
Cardboard, plastic and pallets arrive in large volumes every day. The Waste Management Law requires waste producers to sort reusable or recyclable waste and puts recycling first. So: dedicated sorting areas, cardboard balers and contracts with licensed recyclers.
Checklist for food and pharmaceutical warehouses
- A valid environmental permit matching what is actually stored.
- An isolated, marked area for spoiled and expired products.
- A licensed carrier for expired medicines and a document for every shipment.
- A maintenance log for cooling systems and gas quantities, with a licensed contractor.
- A generator operation and maintenance log, with fuel stored on containment.
- Pest control chemicals stored in a dedicated place.
- A plan for cooling failures and their consequences.
Frequently Asked Questions about Food and Pharmaceutical Warehouse Permits
Does a cold store need an environmental permit?
NCEC decides after classification, influenced by area, energy use, cooling systems, generators and location.
Does SFDA approval replace the environmental permit?
No. SFDA oversees product safety and storage conditions; NCEC oversees the warehouse's impact on the environment.
How do I dispose of large quantities of spoiled food?
Isolate and document them, and have licensed parties transport them to approved sites; never discard them with general waste.
We started storing medicines in a food warehouse. What do we need?
This changes the type of activity and needs a new operating permit before it happens, in addition to SFDA licensing.
How Abak Green helps
We determine your warehouse's environmental requirements by type, size and location, manage the environmental permit, prepare the environmental management plan covering cooling, spoiled and expired goods and emergencies, set up records and follow renewal. Contact us about your warehouse.
