Govt revises solid waste management rules

The Centre on Tuesday came up with new solid waste management rules, which make it mandatory for manufacturers of sanitary napkins and diapers to provide separate pouches along with the product for its proper disposal.

The Environment Ministry’s Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, has an expanded ambit and extends beyond municipal corporations and includes railway stations, industrial townships, airports, ports, defence establishments, places of pilgrimage. Under the new rules, local bodies can charge a certain fee from generators for proper management of such waste, while provisions have been included for spot fine for littering at public places.

This is the sixth category of waste management rules brought out by the ministry, as it had earlier notified plastic, e-waste, biomedical, hazardous and construction and demolition waste management rules.

“The last such rules were framed in 2000 and for 16 years there was no review. At present, 620 lakh tonne of solid waste is generated every year. Of that, only 70% or 430 lakh tonne is collected, of which only 30%  gets treated. The rest of it goes into the dumps. This is dangerous and also gives rise to health hazards,” said Union minister Prakash Javadekar.