Soil Protection Act.

The Law consists of 26 Articles. The Law regulates issues of prevention and control of pollution, degradation and erosion of soil, its utilization in compliance with technical criteria of sustainable soil exploitation and responsibility for pollution and other soil damages. In particular, the Law determines that, among other duties, the Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for ensuring the soil protection; establishment of the national soil database and soil mapping; quantitative and qualitative monitoring of soils, with a priority given to the agricultural lands and gardens that require protection of soil fertility and enrichment; supervision of import, production, sale and consumption of fertilizers and pesticide, and soil assessment. The Ministry in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Organization is obliged to develop a policy on management, protection and sustainable use of soil and submit for approval of the government. Any mining operations must be performed in compliance with the 1998 Mining Law and environmental regulations. The transfer of soil out of the country is prohibited and subject to punishment under the Islamic Penal Code (Article 21). The same Article provides that recognition of soil minerals is upon the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Commerce and its transfer outside of country is subject to gaining permit from the same Ministry.