Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 and its implementation

The Environment Ministry revised Solid Waste Management Rules after 16 years in the month of April 2017.  Addressing a press conference to announce the revised Rules, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar said that the Rules will now be applicable beyond municipal areas.

Proper waste disposal and management are one of the biggest problems in India. These new rules are a revamped version of the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules 2000.

According to a report by the Press Information Bureau, 62 million tonnes of waste is generated annually in the country at present, out of which 5.6 million tonnes is the plastic waste, 0.17 million tonnes is the biomedical waste, hazardous waste generation is 7.90 million tonnes per annum and 15 lakh tonne is e-waste.