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New Waste Rules: Landfills Out, Circular Economy In
29 Jan
Summary
- New Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, replace 2016 rules.
- Focus shifts to waste reduction, reuse, and at-source processing.
- Bulk generators like housing societies face new accountability.
India has introduced the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, set to take effect on April 1, 2026. These new regulations supersede the SWM Rules of 2016 and overhaul existing garbage management frameworks for urban and rural local bodies.
The primary objective is to promote waste reduction, reuse, and at-source processing, moving away from heavy reliance on landfills. While retaining principles like source segregation and door-to-door collection from the 2016 rules, the 2026 rules increase accountability for bulk waste generators.
Bulk generators, encompassing residential societies and large institutions, will now be required to register on a centralized portal and submit waste accounting. They must segregate waste into four streams and aim for on-site wet-waste processing. Compliance can be proven through local body certifications, with non-compliance potentially leading to compensation.
The new rules designate landfills as the final disposal point only for non-usable and non-recyclable waste. Urban local bodies must map legacy landfills by October 31, 2026, and develop time-bound plans for their remediation using bioremediation and biomining techniques.
Furthermore, waste with a calorific value of 1500 kg calories or more must be utilized for energy generation or co-processing in cement and thermal plants. Industries are targeted to progressively replace solid fuels with refuse-derived fuel, starting at 6% and increasing to 15% within six years.
