Dust is the most visible environmental impact of construction, and it has become a priority for environmental enforcement in the Kingdom. Three references work together: the Air Quality Regulation, the requirements of the National Center for Environmental Compliance, and a guide specific to Riyadh.
What the Air Quality Regulation says
The Implementing Regulation for Air Quality requires anyone doing excavation, construction, demolition or material handling to take the necessary precautions during the work, including covering dust-prone materials on site or stabilising them by other means such as water spraying.
NCEC requirements for construction sites
In February 2026 the National Center for Environmental Compliance announced dust-control requirements covering construction sites of 2,000 m² or more, including dust suppressants with daily spraying, with fines of up to SAR 50,000 per requirement.
In Riyadh: a dust management plan
The guide to controlling dust from construction activities in Riyadh sets more detailed practices, including:
- A dust management plan approved by the Center 30 days before site mobilisation.
- Stabilising idle earthworks and surfaces with water or binders.
- No potable water for dust control unless there is no alternative.
- Covering or seeding exposed areas when leaving the site.
Enforcement is ongoing
By July 2026 the authorities reported more than 3,000 inspections of construction sites, with hundreds of dust-related violations recorded.
How to prepare
- Build the dust plan into project planning before mobilisation, not after.
- Decide early on alternative water, dust suppressants and vehicle routes.
- Record spraying and stabilisation daily; the record is your evidence at inspection.
How we help
We prepare the site environmental management plan and the dust management plan, follow their approval, and review the site's compliance during the works.