Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules 2026

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

In News

• India has notified the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, replacing the 2016 version to embed circular economy principles and producer responsibility, effective April 1, 2026.

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• The rules embed circular economy and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to prioritize waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery over disposal. 
• They target urban India’s waste crisis (over 62 million tonnes annually, with bulk generators contributing ~30%), mandating systemic shifts via technology and accountability.

Key Provisions of SWM Rules, 2026

• Four-stream Segregation of Solid Waste at Source: Mandatory segregation into wet waste, dry waste, sanitary waste and special-care waste to improve recycling, safety and resource recovery.
• Clear Definition of Bulk Waste Generators (BWGs): BWGs identified based on built-up area (≥20,000 sq m), water consumption (≥40,000 litres/day) or waste generation (≥100 kg/day).
• Extended Bulk Waste Generator Responsibility (EBWGR): BWGs made accountable for segregation, processing and safe disposal of the solid waste generated by them.
• Centralised Online Portal for Solid Waste Management: Digital platform to track waste generation, collection, transportation, processing and disposal in real time.
• Promotion and Mandatory Use of Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF): Industries such as cement plants and waste-to-energy units mandated to use RDF produced from high-calorific municipal waste.
• Restrictions on Landfilling: Landfills permitted only for non-recyclable, non-energy-recoverable waste and inert materials to minimise dumping.
• Solid Waste Management in Hilly Areas and Islands: Local bodies empowered to levy user fees on tourists and regulate tourist inflow based on waste management capacity.
• Environmental Compensation for Non-compliance: Provision for imposing environmental compensation based on the Polluter Pays Principle to ensure accountability.

Source: TH