**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Bio-Medical Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026, which further amend the 2016 principal rules. These amendments, effective from their publication date of April 20, 2026, formally integrate the "Ayush" department and its representatives into the advisory and monitoring framework for bio-medical waste management.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Official Title and Commencement**
* The rules are officially titled the Bio-Medical Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026.
* The amendments came into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette (April 20, 2026).
* **Inclusion of the Ayush Department (Rule 11)**
* The amendment modifies Rule 11, sub-rule (1) of the 2016 Rules.
* The word "Ayush" is inserted after "Departments of Health," formally including this department in the relevant regulatory provisions.
* **Administrative Representation (Rule 12)**
* The amendment modifies Rule 12, sub-rule (6) of the 2016 Rules.
* A "representative, as nominated by the State or Union Territory Department of Ayush" is now mandated to be included alongside the District Health Officer.
* **Legal Authority**
* These rules were exercised under the powers conferred by sections 6, 8, and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
* The requirement for a prior notice period was dispensed with by the Central Government in the public interest.
**Impact Analysis**
**State and Union Territory Departments of Ayush**
**Impact**
They are now formally recognized and included in the governance and oversight structure of bio-medical waste management.
**Action Required**
The departments must nominate representatives to serve in the capacities specified under Rule 12(6) alongside District Health Officers.
**State and Union Territory Health Administrations**
**Impact**
The administrative and monitoring framework for bio-medical waste must now account for the participation of the Ayush department.
**Action Required**
Update the composition of relevant committees or oversight bodies to include nominated representatives from the Department of Ayush.
**Central and State Regulatory Authorities**
**Impact**
Regulatory language and departmental coordination protocols are expanded to include the Ayush sector.
**Action Required**
Ensure all future implementation and enforcement of the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules reflect the inclusion of the Ayush department as per the 2026 amendments.
Key Entities Referenced
Bio-Medical Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026: The specific regulatory update notified to incorporate 'Ayush' departments and representatives into the existing bio-medical waste management framework.
Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016: The principal set of rules being amended, which establishes the legal framework for the handling and management of bio-medical waste in India.
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: The primary legislation under which these rules are framed, providing the legal authority to regulate environmental protection.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The nodal ministry responsible for issuing this notification and overseeing the implementation of environmental regulations.
Department of Ayush: The state or union territory level department whose representatives are newly included in the waste management advisory and monitoring structure by this amendment.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-20042026-271923
xxxGIDHxxx
CG-DLxx-ExG-I2D0E0x4x2x0 26-271923
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (i)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (i)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 269] नई दिल्ली, सोमवार, अप्रैल 20, 2026/चत्रै 30, 1948
No. 269] NEW DELHI, MONDAY, APRIL 20, 2026/CHAITRA 30, 1948
वन और िलवाय ु पररवतनत मत्रं ालय
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल्ली, 17 अप्रलै , 2026
सा.का.जन. 293(अ).— केन्द्रीय सरकार , पयातवरण (संरक्षण) अजधजनयम, 1986 (1986 का 29) की धाराओं 6,
8 और 25 द्वारा प्रित्त िजियों का प्रयोग करत े हुए तथा पयातवरण (संरक्षण) जनयम, 1986 के जनयम 5 के उप-जनयम (4) के
साथ परित, लोकजित म ें उि जनयम के जनयम 5 के उप-जनयम (3) के खंड (क) के अंतगतत नोरिस की आवश्यकता को समाप्त
करने के पश्चात, िैव-जचदकत्सीय अपजिष्ट प्रबंधन जनयम, 2016 म ेंसंिोधन करन ेिते ुजनम्नजलजखत जनयम बनाती ि,ै अथातत्:—
1. (1) इन जनयमों का संजक्षप्त नाम िैव-जचदकत्सा अपजिष्ट प्रबधं न (संिोधन) जनयम, 2026 ि।ै
(2) य ेजनयम रािपत्र म ेंप्रकािन की तारीख स े प्रभावी िोंगे।
2. िैव-जचदकत्सा अपजिष्ट प्रबधं न जनयम, 2016 के जनयम 11 के उप-जनयम (1) म,ें “ स्ट्वास्ट््य,” िब्िों के पश्चात “आयुष,”
िब्ि अतं ःस्ट्थाजपत दकया िाएगा।
3. उि जनयम के जनयम 12 के उप-जनयम (6) म,ें “जिला स्ट्वास्ट््य अजधकारी,” िब्िों के पश्चात “राज्य या संघ राज्य क्षत्रे के
आयुष जवभाग द्वारा नाजमत प्रजतजनजध,” िब्ि अंतःस्ट्थाजपत दकया िाएगा।
[फा. स.ं एचएसएम-20/3/2025- एचएसएम]
नीलेि कुमार साि, संयुक् त सजचव
2770 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)]
रिप्पण: मूल जनयम भारत के रािपत्र, असाधारण, भाग II, खडं 3, उप-खडं (i) म,ें अजधसूचना संख्या सा.का.जन. 343(अ),
तारीख 28 माच,त 2016 के द्वारा प्रकाजित दकए गए थ े और तत्पश्चात इनम ें अजधसूचना संख्या सा.का.जन 234(अ),
तारीख 16 माच,त 2018, सा.का.जन 129(अ), तारीख 19 फरवरी, 2019 और सा.का.जन 360(अ), तारीख 10 मई,
2019 द्वारा संिोजधत दकए गए थे।
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 17th April, 2026
G.S.R. 293(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 6, 8 and 25 of the Environment (Protection)
Act, 1986 (29 of 1986) read with sub-rule (4) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, the Central
Government, after having dispensed with the requirement of notice under clause (a) of sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the said
rule in public interest, hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules,
2016, namely:-
1. (1) These rules may be called the Bio-Medical Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016, in rule 11, in sub-rule (1), after the words "Departments of
Health," the word "Ayush," shall be inserted.
3. In rule 12 of the said rule, in sub-rule (6), after the words "District Health Officer," the words "representative, as
nominated by the State or Union Territory Department of Ayush," shall be inserted.
[F. No. HSM-20/3/2025-HSM]
NEELESH KUMAR SAH, Jt. Secy.
Note: The Principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, Sub-section (i),
vide number G.S.R. 343(E), dated the 28th March, 2016 and subsequently amended vide number G.S.R. 234
(E), dated the 16th March, 2018, G.S.R. 129 (E), dated the 19th February, 2019 and G.S.R. 360(E), dated the
10th May, 2019.
Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064
and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.