New SWM Rules 2026: highlight is a four-bin system
The Hindu
Here is what a cross-section of people from the city have to say about the revised Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules 2026 that comes into effect on April 1, 2026
If waste segregation is still not part of the daily routine in your home, then get ready to fall in line. New rules are coming into effect on April 1, 2026. Under the revised Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules 2026, notified recently by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, four-stream segregation of solid waste at source has been made mandatory. This means your household waste is required to be segregated into wet waste, dry waste, sanitary waste and special care waste; the later includes paint cans, bulbs, mercury thermometers and medicines.
The revised rules, which supersedes Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, integrate the principles of circular economy and extended producer responsibility, with a specific focus on waste segregation and management.
Those working in this space say some major concerns in Chennai include gaps in availability of collection vehicles and processing facilities. There is also a need to enforce rules strictly for all stakeholders.
All bulk waste generators are expected to process wet waste in situ or obtain an Extended Bulk Waste Generator Responsibility (EBWGR) certificate stating that on-site processing is not feasible. Bulk waste generator includes entities with a floor area of 20,000 square metres or more, or water consumption of 40,000 litres per day or more, or solid waste generation of 100 kg per day or more.
Material recovery facilities (MRFs) are again in the spotlight. Under the revised rules, local bodies are responsible for the collection, segregation and transportation of solid waste in coordination with MRFs which may also act as deposition points for e-waste, special care waste, sanitary waste and other waste streams for further processing. MRFs have been formally recognised as facilities for sorting of solid waste, says the note.
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