Centre notifies solid waste management rules; applicable from April 1

The Centre has notified the new Solid Waste Management Rules under which four-stream segregation of solid waste at source has been made mandatory, and clear responsibilities have been defined for bulk waste generators.

The four categories for segregation are: wet waste, dry waste, sanitary waste and special care waste.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav on Wednesday said the new rules will come into force from April 1.

Under the new rules, bulk waste generators include entities with a floor area of 20,000 square metres or more, or water consumption of 40,000 litres per day or more, or solid waste generation of 100 kilograms per day or more.

Central and state government departments, local bodies, public sector undertakings, institutions, commercial establishments and residential societies, among others, fall under the category of bulk waste generators.

Such entities must ensure that the waste they generate is collected, transported and processed in an environmentally sound manner, in accordance with the rules.

This provision is expected to significantly reduce the burden on urban local bodies and promote decentralised waste management.

The rules also allow for the levy of user fees on waste generators according to the bylaws of local bodies.

"The revised rules integrate the principles of circular economy and Extended Producer Responsibility, with a specific focus on efficient waste segregation and management," an official statement said.

"The rules provide for the levy of environmental compensation based on the 'Polluter Pays' principle for non-compliance, including cases of operating without registration, false reporting, submission of forged documents or improper solid waste management practices," it added.

The Central Pollution Control Board will prepare the relevant guidelines, while State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees will levy the environmental compensation.