Centre notifies new solid waste management norms

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, replacing the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, with stricter compliance, to curb landfilling, boost recycling and waste-to-energy use.

The new rules, notified under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, will come into full effect from April 1, 2026, and aim to strengthen scientific waste management across the country by integrating the principles of Circular Economy and Extended Producer Responsibility.

A key feature of the revised rules is the mandatory segregation of solid waste at source into four categories—wet waste, dry waste, sanitary waste and special care waste. Wet waste such as kitchen waste, vegetable and fruit peels, meat and flowers will be composted or processed through bio-methanation at the nearest facility.

Dry waste including plastic, paper, metal, glass, wood and rubber will be sent to Material Recovery Facilities for sorting and recycling. Sanitary waste such as used diapers, sanitary towels and tampons will be securely wrapped and stored separately, while special care waste like paint cans, bulbs, mercury thermometers and medicines will be collected by authorised agencies or deposited at designated centres.

The rules introduce strict enforcement provisions based on the ‘Polluter Pays’ principle. Environmental compensation will be levied for non-compliance, including operating without registration, false reporting, submission of forged documents or improper solid waste management practices.

The Central Pollution Control Board will frame detailed guidelines, while State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees will be responsible for levying environmental compensation.

Clear criteria have been laid down for identifying Bulk Waste Generators. Entities with a floor area of 20,000 square metres or more, water consumption of 40,000 litres per day or more, or solid waste generation of 100 kilograms per day or more will fall under this category.

Bulk Waste Generators, including government departments, public sector undertakings, institutions, commercial establishments and residential societies, will be required to ensure environmentally sound collection, transportation and processing of the waste generated by them. This is expected to reduce the burden on urban local bodies and promote decentralised waste management.

The rules also introduce Extended Bulk Waste Generator Responsibility, under which bulk waste generators will be held accountable for the waste generated by them. They will be required to process wet waste on-site as far as possible or obtain an Extended Bulk Waste Generator Responsibility certificate where on-site processing is not feasible.

Bulk waste generators account for nearly 30 per cent of total solid waste generation, making this provision significant for overall waste reduction.

To facilitate faster development of waste processing infrastructure, the rules provide graded criteria for land allocation and development around waste processing and disposal facilities.

A buffer zone will be maintained within the total land allotted for facilities with an installed capacity exceeding five tonnes per day. The Central Pollution Control Board will issue guidelines on buffer zone size and permissible activities based on capacity and pollution load.

The rules also provide for a centralised online portal to monitor the entire solid waste management chain, including waste generation, collection, transportation, processing and disposal, as well as biomining and bioremediation of legacy waste dumpsites.

Registration, authorisation and reporting by waste processing facilities will be carried out online through the portal, replacing multi-step physical reporting. The rules mandate regular audits of all waste processing facilities, with audit reports to be uploaded on the portal.

Under the revised framework, local bodies will remain responsible for waste collection, segregation and transportation, working in coordination with Material Recovery Facilities, which have been formally recognised for sorting of solid waste and may also act as deposition points for e-waste, sanitary waste and special care waste.

Local bodies have also been encouraged to generate carbon credits, while special attention has been mandated for peri-urban rural areas.

The new rules mandate the use of Refuse Derived Fuel by industries such as cement plants and waste-to-energy units that currently rely on solid fuels. The fuel substitution rate will increase from five per cent to fifteen per cent over a six-year period, promoting the use of non-recyclable high-calorific waste as an alternative fuel.

Restrictions on landfilling have been further tightened, limiting landfills to non-recyclable, non-energy recoverable waste and inert material.

Higher landfill fees will be imposed on local bodies for disposing of unsegregated waste, with the cost exceeding that of segregation, transportation and processing of segregated waste. Annual landfill audits by State Pollution Control Boards and oversight by District Collectors have also been mandated.

Special provisions have been introduced for hilly areas and islands, including the levy of user fees on tourists, regulation of tourist inflow based on waste management capacity, and the establishment of designated collection points for non-biodegradable waste. Hotels and restaurants in such areas will be required to undertake decentralised processing of wet waste in line with prescribed norms.

The rules also provide for the establishment of Central and State-level committees to ensure effective implementation. At the State or Union Territory level, committees chaired by Chief Secretaries or Heads of Administration will recommend measures to the Central Pollution Control Board, strengthening coordination and enforcement of the new solid waste management framework.