Centre notifies new solid waste mgmt rules

The Union environment ministry has notified Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026 for processing of waste by bulk waste generators under extended bulk waste generator responsibility (EBWGR), both expanding the definition of bulk waste generators and introducing the polluter-pays concept for the first time.

- Jayashree Nandi

Bulk waste generators include 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. These include central and state government departments, local bodies, public sector undertakings, institutions, commercial establishments and residential societies, among others. In solid waste management rules 2016, which the 2026 rule supersede, the bulk waste generator definition did not specify the floor area or water consumption li