In a move aimed at strengthening the preventive security system and raising safety levels in dealing with sensitive materials, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Interior, issued a ministerial decision approving the update of the executive regulations for the chemical materials management system in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
This decision is based on the periodic and ongoing reviews conducted by the relevant authorities. The decision includes adding two new paragraphs to the first and second lists of the regulations. The royal directive stipulates adding paragraph (49) to the first list and paragraph (50) to the second list, based on the reports submitted by the Higher Commission for Industrial Security, the body responsible for technical and regulatory oversight of vital facilities and hazardous materials.
Details of the added chemicals and their dangers
The updates included the addition of a wide range of chemicals classified globally as "dual-use" or hazardous materials that could pose a security threat if diverted from their intended industrial or agricultural uses. The list included substances primarily used in the manufacture of explosives or violent chemical reactions.
Among the most prominent materials that were subjected to strict security controls:
- Nitrate and nitrite compounds, such as ammonium nitrate, barium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrite, and calcium nitrate, are highly sensitive substances commonly used in fertilizers but require strict control to prevent misuse.
- Metallic powders and volatile compounds: The list included aluminum powder and flakes, magnesium, magnesium nitrate, hydrogen peroxide, and hexamethylenetetraamine.
- Highly explosive and toxic materials: The list included highly dangerous materials such as trinitrotoluene (TNT), nitrocellulose, trinitroglycerin, sodium cyanide, lead azide, and picric acid.
The security context and the importance of the decision
This decision is of paramount importance in the context of the Kingdom's efforts to enhance national security and protect society. Strategically, updating the lists of security-restricted chemicals is a necessary measure to keep pace with industrial developments and evolving security challenges. These measures aim to:
- Closing security gaps: By subjecting new materials to control, any attempts to use previously unrestricted chemicals in illegal activities are blocked.
- Compliance with international standards: The decision reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to international standards in the field of chemical security and the prohibition of the proliferation of materials that can be used in the manufacture of explosives or chemical weapons.
- Organizing the industrial sector: This classification helps companies and factories to accurately identify their legal obligations, thus facilitating import, storage, and transportation processes in accordance with approved safety requirements.
The ministerial decision emphasized that these amendments would take effect immediately upon issuance, obligating all relevant authorities, whether regulatory, security, or commercial, to implement their respective procedures to ensure optimal application of the system, thereby achieving security integration and preserving the safety of lives and property.
