Solid Waste Management Rules, 2018

1.    Centralized method: This method entails collecting municipal waste from all over the local area and dumping it outside of the city/Nagar panchayat limits via land filling. 

 

•    This procedure examines the collection of solid waste from residents' homes by waste pickers, who then turn the collected waste over to the collection team, who then dispose of it in the landfill.

 

•    Employees of the Municipal Corporation or Nagar Panchayat pick up trash. A tendering process is usually used to hire a collection team.

2.    Decentralized method: Suryapet in Andhra Pradesh and Bangalore in Karnataka are examples of this model.

 

•    The waste is collected by ward and separated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable categories at the source.

 

•    The biodegradable waste is composted using a variety of aerobic and anaerobic composting methods at a nearby facility. 

 

•    Non-biodegradable waste is further classified into paper, plastic, metal, and other waste, which is then collected by recyclers for product up-cycling or down cycling.

 

1.    Incineration: It is the combustion of waste in the presence of oxygen, resulting in the production of carbon dioxide, water vapor, and ash. It's also known as the Waste to Energy (WtE) method, and it's a way of extracting energy from waste. Its benefits include reduced waste volume, lower transportation costs, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. When garbage is burned, however, pollutants such as mercury, lead, and dioxins are released into the atmosphere, posing a health risk.

 

2.    Pyrolysis and gasification: This method involves thermal processing in the absence of oxygen or with a small amount of oxygen.

 

3.    Biological treatment: Microorganisms are used to decompose the biodegradable components of waste in biological treatment methods. The two types of processes are as follows: Windrow composting, aerated static pile composting & in-vessel composting, vermi-culture, and other aerobic composting methods require the presence of oxygen. Anaerobic digestion occurs when there is no oxygen present. 

 

4.    Open dumping and landfills: Landfills that are sanitary: It is the controlled disposal of waste on land in such a way that waste and environment contact is minimized and waste is concentrated in a well-defined area. Dumps are open areas where waste is dumped and exposed to the elements, stray animals, and birds. Because there is no monitoring and no leachate collection system in place, both land and water resources are contaminated.

 

•    When waste is converted into something useful, it is called recycling. 

 

•    It reduces the amount of waste that must be treated, the cost of handling it, the amount of waste that must be disposed of in landfills, and the environmental impact.

 

•    It also helps to conserve natural resources by lowering the amount of energy required to create new products.

 

•    When it comes to recycling, the terms upcycling and down cycling are frequently used. Upcycling is the process of upgrading a commodity through various recycling processes. 

 

•    Making roads out of cheap plastic is an example of upcycling. Down cycling is the process of reducing the value of a commodity through various recycling processes. Breaking down high-quality plastics at high temperatures into lower-quality plastics is an example of down cycling.

 

•    India has a large number of informal waste collectors. They're known as 'Kabadi-wallahs,' or local waste dealers. They collect and sort dry waste into categories such as aluminum, plastic, paper, and glass. 

 

•    In the waste market, each waste has a set price. In some cases, these local waste dealers have agreements with waste pickers who provide them with waste from the surrounding areas. The dealers collect dry waste from individuals, apartments, and institutions in addition to the waste pickers.

 

•    Solid waste management is a state subject, and it is the state government's responsibility to ensure that appropriate solid waste management practices are implemented in all of the state's cities and towns. 

 

•    SWM, on the other hand, is a municipal function, and it is the responsibility of the urban local bodies (ULB). The ULBs are responsible for planning, designing, operating, and maintaining the SWM in their cities/towns. 

 

•    Waste management costs a lot of money in India's 4378 municipalities. SWM accounts for 10 percent to 50 percent of the municipal budget, and 30 percent to 50 percent of the total staff is usually dedicated to it.

 

•    If this critical service is not provided properly, it can lead to a decline in health, sanitation, and environmental degradation. 

 

•    A ULB's ability to provide satisfactory service is hampered by poor technology selection, a lack of public participation, financial constraints, and institutional weakness. 

 

•    To manage solid waste in a scientific and cost-effective manner, ULBs require both support and guidance. 

 

•    The government's role is to formulate broad policy guidelines and to provide technical assistance to states and cities as needed.

 

•    It also assists state governments and local governments with human resource development and serves as a conduit for obtaining external funding for solid waste management projects.

 

•    Several non-governmental organizations, waste trade unions, and experts have emerged as key players. Chintan in Delhi, Swacha in Pune, Stree Mukti Sangathan in Mumbai, Solid Waste Management Round Table, and Hasiru Dala in Bangalore are a few well-known people and organizations.

 

Disposal and management of municipal solid waste is one of the 18 functional domains of Municipal Corporations and Nagar Panchayats under the 74th Constitutional Amendment.

 

3.    The Bio-Medical Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 1998

4.    Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2000

5.    The Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011

6.    E-Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011

 

1.    Almitra Patel vs. Union of India

2.    B.L Wadhera vs. Union of India.

3.    Karnataka High Court's Decision on Mandatory Segregation at the Source

 

•    In addition to formal players, such as ragpickers, Waste Management has a number of informal players. They work at dump sites and garbage dumps in their communities, selling the waste they collect to local dealers. 

 

•    The Kabadiwallahs are the local dealers. Because the Kabadiwallahs are connected to the formal group of recyclers who come and pick up the bulk quantity of waste, the large informal sector network also aids in effective waste management at local levels.

 

•    In India, there is a National Body of Ragpickers. The NSWAI (National Solid Waste Association of India) is their name. The association, which was founded on January 25, 1996, is a member of the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) and provides an international forum for the exchange of information and expertise in the field of solid waste management.

 

•    The Rules now apply to urban agglomerations, census towns, notified industrial townships, areas under Indian Railways' control, airports, airbases, ports and harbors, defense establishments, special economic zones, State and Central government organizations, pilgrimage sites, religious and historical sites.

 

•    Waste segregation at the source has been mandated in order to convert waste into wealth through recovery, reuse, and recycling.

 

•    Generators' responsibilities have been expanded to include the separation of waste into three streams: wet (biodegradable), dry (plastic, paper, metal, wood, etc.) and domestic hazardous wastes (diapers, napkins, empty cleaning agent containers, mosquito repellents, and so on) and the delivery of segregated wastes to authorized rag-pickers, waste collectors, or local bodies.

 

•    State governments, as well as Self Help Groups or any other group formed, should integrate waste pickers/rag pickers and waste dealers/ Kabadiwalas into the formal system.

 

•    No one should throw, burn, or bury solid waste generated by them on public streets, open public spaces outside their homes, or in drains or water bodies.

 

•    The generator will be required to pay a 'User Fee' to the waste collector as well as a 'Spot Fine' for littering and non-segregation.

 

•    Used sanitary waste, such as diapers and sanitary pads, should be wrapped securely in pouches provided by the manufacturers or brand owners of these products, or in a suitable wrapping material, and disposed of in the dry waste/non-biodegradable waste bin.

 

•    In Swachh Bharat, the concept of partnership has been introduced. Bulk and institutional generators, market associations, event organizers, hotels and restaurants have all been given direct responsibility for sorting and segregating waste, which they will manage in collaboration with local authorities. 

 

•    All hotels and restaurants should separate biodegradable waste and set up a collection system or follow the collection system established by the local government to ensure that such food waste is composted or bio-methanide. 

 

•    All Resident Welfare and Market Associations, Gated Communities, and Institutions with an area greater than 5,000 sq. m should segregate waste at the source into valuable dry waste such as plastic, tin, glass, paper, and other materials, and handover recyclable materials to either authorized waste pickers or authorized recyclers, or to the local government. 

 

•    As much as possible, biodegradable waste should be processed, treated, and disposed of on-site through composting or bio-methanation. The residual waste must be given to the local authority's designated waste collectors or agency. 

 

•    As much as possible, biodegradable waste should be processed, treated, and disposed of on-site through composting or bio-methanation. The residual waste must be given to the local authority's designated waste collectors or agency. 

 

•    The development of in-house waste handling and processing arrangements for bio-degradable waste has been assigned to new townships and Group Housing Societies.

 

•    Every street vendor should keep appropriate containers for storing waste generated during the course of his business, such as food waste, disposable plates, cups, cans, wrappers, coconut shells, leftover food, vegetables, fruits, and so on, and deposit such waste at a waste storage depot, container, or vehicle designated by the local authority. 

 

•    Developers of Special Economic Zones, industrial estates, and industrial parks must set aside at least 5% of the total plot area or at least 5 plots/sheds for recovery and recycling. 

 

•    All manufacturers of disposable products, such as tin, glass, and plastic packaging, as well as brand owners who introduce such products to the market, must provide local governments with the necessary financial assistance for the establishment of a waste management system. 

 

•    Any brand owner who sells or markets their products in non-biodegradable packaging should set up a system to collect the packaging waste generated during the manufacturing process. 

 

•    Sanitary napkin and diaper manufacturers, brand owners, and marketing companies should investigate the possibility of using all recyclable materials in their products, or provide a pouch or wrapper for disposal of each napkin or diaper with the packet of their sanitary products. 

 

•    All such manufacturers, brand owners, or marketing firms should educate the public about proper product packaging and disposal. 

 

•    Within six months of the date of notification of these rules, all industrial units using fuel and located within 100 kilometers of a solid waste-based RDF plant must make arrangements to replace at least 5% of their fuel requirement with RDF produced in this manner. 

 

•    Non-recyclable waste with a calorific value of 1500 K/cal/kg or more shall not be disposed of in landfills and shall only be used to generate energy, either as refuse derived fuel or as feed stock for the preparation of refuse derived fuel. 

 

•    Wastes with a high calorific value will be co-processed in cement or thermal power plants. 

 

•    According to the Construction and Demolition Waste Management Rules, 2016, construction and demolition waste should be stored and disposed of separately. 

 

•    Horticulture waste and garden waste generated on his property should be disposed of according to local authority guidelines. 

 

•    An event or gathering of more than 100 people at any licensed or unlicensed location should ensure waste segregation at the source and handover of segregated waste to a waste collector or agency, as specified by the local authority. 

 

•    Special provisions for solid waste management in hilly areas: It is forbidden to build a landfill on the hill. A transfer station must be set up in a suitable enclosed location to collect residual waste and inert waste from the processing facility. Within 25 kilometers of the city, suitable land for a sanitary landfill must be found in the plains, down the hill. This sanitary landfill will be used to dispose of the transfer station's residual waste. 

 

•    If such land is not available, efforts will be made to establish a regional sanitary landfill for inert and residual waste.