Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change addresses waste management in India via various rules under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. These rules assign responsibility to local authorities for solid waste management and promote technologies like biomining and bioremediation. The Central Government provides financial assistance under the Swachh Bharat Mission for these activities.
Key Points / Main Content:
Waste Management Rules:
* Various waste management rules have been notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
* Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016
* Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016
* Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016
* Environment Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2025
* Hazardous and other wastes Management and Transboundary Movement Rules, 2016
* E-waste Management Rules, 2022
* Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022
* Environment Protection End-of-Life Vehicles Rules, 2025
* Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) promotes a circular economy for various waste types.
Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016:
* Local authorities and village panchayats are responsible for solid waste management.
* Schedule I provides specifications for sanitary landfills, including gas control systems and recovery measures.
* Local bodies must investigate old dumpsites for biomining and bioremediation potential and take action where feasible.
* Central Pollution Control Board issued guidelines for disposal of legacy waste.
* Directions under Section 5 of Environment Protection Act, 1986, have been issued to all State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees for enforcement of biomining of legacy waste.
Financial Assistance:
* The Central Government provides additional central assistance under Swachh Bharat Mission for solid waste management.
* Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 (SBMU 2.0) focuses on bioremediation of all legacy dump sites.
Impact Analysis:
Local Authorities and Village Panchayats:
* Impact: Responsible for implementing Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, including waste processing and disposal.
* Action Required: Implement waste management systems, investigate and remediate dumpsites, and adhere to landfill specifications.
State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees:
* Impact: Responsible for enforcing Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.
* Action Required: Enforce provisions regarding biomining of legacy waste.
Central Government:
* Impact: Provides financial assistance through Swachh Bharat Mission for solid waste management.
* Action Required: Continue to provide financial support and monitor the progress of waste management initiatives.
Producers:
* Impact: Subject to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging waste, waste tyres, battery waste, E-waste, used oil, End-of-life vehicles, construction and demolition waste, and non-ferrous metal scrap.
* Action Required: Implement EPR schemes to manage waste responsibly and promote a circular economy.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The Indian government ministry responsible for environmental protection and climate change policies.
SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL: Member of Parliament who raised the question about waste management.
SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH: Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change who provided the answer.
Environment Protection Act, 1986: An act of the Parliament of India to provide for the protection and improvement of the environment.
Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016: Rules notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 for managing solid waste in an environmentally sound manner.
Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016: Rules notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 for managing plastic waste.
Swachh Bharat Mission: A national campaign by the Government of India to clean the streets, roads and infrastructure of cities, smaller towns, and rural areas.
Central Pollution Control Board: A statutory organisation under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2347
TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.08.2025
Waste Management
2347. SHRI JANARDAN SINGH SIGRIWAL:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) the plan and policies of the Government to manage waste disposal system in each
district of the country to reduce carbon emissions in small cities;
(b) whether the Government has conducted any research and development in the field of
sustainable waste disposal system near waste landfill areas to improve cleanliness and
reduce toxic gases in the area;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) if not, the steps taken by the Government and the policy formulated for revival of
landfill in each city in this regard?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) to (d): The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the various
waste management rules under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, for environmentally sound
management of wastes viz. (i) Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, (ii) Plastic Waste
Management Rules, 2016, (iii) Bio-medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, (iv) Environment
(Construction and Demolition) Waste Management Rules, 2025, (v) Hazardous and other
wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, (vi) E-waste Management
Rules, 2022, (vii) Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, (viii) Environment Protection
(End-of-Life Vehicles) Rules, 2025.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been implemented to promote Circular Economy
in plastic packaging waste, waste tyres, battery waste, E-waste, used oil, End-of-life vehicles,
construction and demolition waste, and non-ferrous metal scrap.
The statutory framework for environmentally sound management of solid waste in the country
is provided by Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. Under the rules, the local authorities and
village panchayats are responsible for solid waste management. The Schedule I of the Solid
Waste Management Rules, 2016, provides specification for sanitary landfills, which includes
landfill gas control system to minimize odour and prevent off-site migration of gases and
measures for enhancing landfill gas recovery.The rules also mandate local bodies to investigate and analyze all old open dumpsites and
existing operational dumpsites for their potential of biomining and bioremediation and
wheresover feasible, take necessary action to bio-mine or bio-remediate the sites.
Central Pollution Control Board has also issued guidelines for Disposal of Legacy Waste (Old
Municipal Solid Waste). Also, directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act,
1986, have been issued to all State Pollution Control Boards / Pollution Control Committees
for enforcement of provisions of Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, regarding biomining
of legacy waste.
The Central Government provides additional central assistance under Swachh Bharat Mission
for solid waste management in urban and rural areas of the country including for small cities.
Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0) launched in October 2021 inter alia focusses
on bio-remediation of all legacy dump sites.
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