Municipality: Removing construction, demolition, and renovation debris is not our responsibility - Sarmad

Kuwait Municipality confirmed on Wednesday that the removal and transportation of debris resulting from construction, demolition, and renovation works fall outside its jurisdiction; rather, this responsibility 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 statement that the responsibility for removing such debris rests with the homeowner or the contractor, provided a specific contract is signed between the two parties.

Al-Mutairi added that the municipality consistently advises property owners to ensure that any contract signed with a contractor explicitly includes a clause stipulating that the contractor bears the responsibility for promptly removing construction debris within a period ranging from three to seven days, depending on the scope of work.

He noted that another contractual requirement is the provision of construction containers in front of sites where construction, renovation, or demolition is taking place. He emphasized that the municipality has recently observed significant compliance in providing these containers.

He pointed out that the municipality’s campaign “Amr, Do Not Destroy” currently focuses on construction debris. If a contract exists between the contractor and the owner, a violation notice is issued against the contractor. However, in minor private residential works, such as unlicensed renovations, the municipality issues a violation notice against the owner.

He stressed that during its field inspections, the municipality strives to raise awareness regarding the requirements of the safety regulations code to avoid violations, which may incur substantial fines and could lead to the suspension of the company’s and the owner’s operations.

Al-Mutairi highlighted that debris resulting from the private property works of the property owner must be disposed of in designated sites and should not be piled up in front of homes, in order to avoid violations and fines.

He called on plot owners and those constructing homes to follow the official accounts of Kuwait Municipality to benefit from awareness messages and guidelines that will be published regularly, and to contact the municipality to inquire about any regulatory requirements, thereby facilitating their procedures and ensuring compliance with systems and regulations.