**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has issued the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Amendment Rules, 2026. The amendment aims to omit "Brine sludge" from the list of hazardous wastes associated with the production of caustic soda and chlorine. These rules come into force immediately upon their publication in the Official Gazette on July 16, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Legal Authority and Procedural Changes**
* The notification is issued under the powers conferred by Sections 6, 8, and 25 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
* The Central Government dispensed with the requirement of public notice under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, citing public interest.
**Specific Amendment to Waste Categories**
* The amendment modifies Schedule I of the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.
* Under S.No. 16 of the Table, which pertains to "Processes" involving the "Production of caustic soda and chlorine," the entry "16.3 Brine sludge" in column (3) is officially omitted.
**Administrative Details**
* The rules are formally titled the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Amendment Rules, 2026.
* The principal rules were originally published on April 4, 2016, and were last amended on July 1, 2025.
**Impact Analysis**
**Industries producing caustic soda and chlorine**
**Impact**
The classification of "Brine sludge" as a hazardous waste under entry 16.3 of Schedule I is removed, changing the regulatory status of this specific byproduct.
**Action Required**
Facilities must update their waste management logs, compliance filings, and disposal protocols to reflect the omission of entry 16.3 from the 2016 Rules.
**Regulatory and Environmental Authorities**
**Impact**
Enforcement and monitoring agencies must align their inspection and reporting standards with the updated Schedule I.
**Action Required**
Update regulatory frameworks and monitoring databases to ensure that "16.3 Brine sludge" is no longer categorized under the specified section of the Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules as of July 16, 2026.
Key Entities Referenced
Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Amendment Rules, 2026: The primary regulatory amendment that omits 'Brine sludge' from the list of hazardous wastes generated during the production of caustic soda and chlorine.
Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016: The principal rules being amended to modify the classification and management of specific industrial waste processes.
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change: The central regulatory authority responsible for issuing this notification and overseeing environmental protection standards.
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986: The parent legislation that empowers the Central Government to make and amend rules for the protection and improvement of the environment.
Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986: Referenced for Rule 5, which allows the government to dispense with public notice requirements for amendments when deemed in the public interest.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
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असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (i)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (i)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 577] नई दिल्ली, बृहस्ट्प जतवार, िुलाई 16, 2026/आषाढ 25, 1948
No. 577] NEW DELHI, THURSDAY, JULY 16, 2026/ASHADHA 25, 1948
पर्ाावरण, वन और िलवार् ु पररवतना मत्रं ालर्
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल्ली, 16 िुलाई, 2026
सा.का.जन. 636(अ).— पर्ाावरण (संरक्षण) जनर्म, 1986 के जनर्म 5 के उप जनर्म (4) र्ह उपबंध करता ह ै दक
िब भी केंद्रीर् सरकार को ऐसा प्रतीत होता ह ै दक ऐसा करना लोकजहत में है, तो वह पर्ाावरण (संरक्षण) जनर्म, 1986 के
जनर्म 5 के उप जनर्म (3) के खंड (क) के अधीन सूचना की अपेक्षा को समाप्त कर सकेगी;
और केंद्रीर् सरकार की र्ह रार् ह ैदक पररसंकटमर् और अन्र् अपजिष्ट (प्रबंध और सीमापार सचं लन) जनर्म, 2016
में संिोधन के जलए पर्ाावरण (संरक्षण) जनर्म, 1986 के जनर्म 5 के उप जनर्म (3) के खंड (क) के अधीन सूचना की अपेक्षा
को समाप्त करना लोक जहत म ेंह।ै
अब, अत:, केंद्रीर् सरकार पर्ावा रण (संरक्षण) जनर्म, 1986 के जनर्म 5 के उप-जनर्म (4) के साथ परित पर्ाावरण
(संरक्षण) अजधजनर्म, 1986 (1986 का 29) की धारा 6, धारा 8 और धारा 25 द्वारा प्रित्त िजिर्ों का प्रर्ोग करते हुए,
पररसंकटमर् और अन्र् अपजिष्ट (प्रबंध और सीमापार संचलन) जनर्म, 2016 म ें संिोधन करने के जलए जनम्नजलजखत और
जनर्म बनाती ह,ै अथाात ् :—
5465 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(i)]
1. (1) इन जनर्मों का संजक्षप्त नाम पररसंकटमर् और अन्र् अपजिष्ट (प्रबंध और सीमापार संचलन) संिोधन
जनर्म, 2026 ह।ै
(2) र् ेरािपत्र में उनके प्रकािन की तारीख को प्रवृत होंगे।
2. पररसंकटमर् और अन्र् अपजिष्ट (प्रबंध और सीमापार संचलन) जनर्म, 2016 की अनुसूची 1 में, सारणी म,ें
क्र.सं. 16 के सामने स्ट् तंभ (2) में ‘‘प्रदक्रर्ा’’ िीषाक के अधीन ‘‘काजस्ट्टक सोडा और क्ल ोरीन का उत् पािन’’ स्ट् तंभ (3) म,ें ‘‘16.3
ब्राईन स्ट्ल ि’’ प्रजवजष्ट का लोप दकर्ा िाएगा।
[फा. स.ं 23/151/2022-एचएसएम]
उिर् चौधरी, संर्ुक् त सजचव
रटप्प ण. — मलू जनर्म भारत के रािपत्र, असाधारण, भाग II, खडं 3, उप खंड (i) में सखं र्ांक सा.का.जन. 395(अ),
तारीख 4 अप्रैल, 2016 द्वारा प्रकाजित दकए गए थे, और अजधसूचना संख र्ांक सा.का.जन. 438(अ)
तारीख 1 िलु ाई, 2025 द्वारा अंजतम बार संिोजधत दकए गए थे।
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 16th July, 2026
G.S.R. 636(E).— Whereas sub-rule (4) of the rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 provides that
whenever it appears to the Central Government that it is in the public interest to do so, it may dispense with the
requirement of notice under clause (a) of sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986;
And Whereas the Central Government is of the opinion that it is in the public interest to dispense with the
requirement of notice under clause (a) of sub-rule (3) of rule 5 of the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 for amending
the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016.
Now, therefore, 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 hereby makes the following rules further to amend the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and
Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, namely :—
1. (1) These rules may be called the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement)
Amendment Rules, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016, in Schedule I,
in the Table, against S.No. 16, under the heading ‘‘Processes’’ in column (2), ‘‘Production of caustic soda and
chlorine’’, in column (3), the entry, ‘‘16.3 Brine sludge’’ shall be omitted.
[F. No. 23/151/2022-HSM]
UDAY CHAUDHARY, 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. 395(E), dated the 4th April, 2016 and last amended vide the notification number
G.S.R. 438(E), dated the 1st July, 2025.
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