Municipality: Owner and Contractor Responsibility... Removal of Construction, Demolition, and Renovation Debris
Kuwait Municipality confirmed that the responsibility for removing debris lies with the contractor and the owner, stressing the necessity of explicit clauses in contracts.
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
Kuwait Municipality has confirmed that the removal and transportation of debris resulting from construction, demolition, and renovation works fall outside its jurisdiction; responsibility for such tasks lies with the contractor and the property owner.
Al-Humaidi Al-Mutairi, Director of the Safety Department in Al-Jahra Governorate, stated in a press interview that the responsibility for removing this debris rests with the homeowner or the contractor, particularly when a specific contract is signed between the two parties. He noted that the Municipality consistently advises property owners to ensure that any contract with a contractor explicitly includes a clause stipulating that the contractor must promptly remove construction debris within a period ranging from three to seven days, depending on the scale of the work.
He further explained that contracts must include provisions for providing construction containers in front of sites where construction, renovation, or demolition activities are to take place, emphasizing that the Municipality has recently observed significant compliance in providing such containers. He added that the Municipality’s “Amir, Do Not Destroy” campaign is currently focusing on construction debris. In cases where a contract exists between the contractor and the owner, the Municipality issues violations against the contractor. However, for minor works in private residences, such as unlicensed renovations, violations are issued against the owner.
He stressed that during field inspections, the Municipality strives to raise awareness regarding the requirements of the safety regulations code to avoid violations, which can result in substantial fines and may lead to the suspension of the company’s and the owner’s operations. Al-Mutairi pointed out that debris from private property owners’ construction activities must be disposed of in designated sites and must not be piled up in front of homes.
