New Delhi: The New Delhi Municipal Council will enforce mandatory four-stream segregation of waste at source from April 1, in line with the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, as part of its push towards a cleaner and more circular urban system, officials said on Friday.
Under the new framework, all waste generators will be required to segregate waste into four distinct categories —wet, dry, sanitary, and special care waste — before handing it over to authorised collectors, they said.
Defining “waste generator” broadly, the rules cover all individuals, households, offices and institutions, including railways and defence establishments.
In a post on X, the civic body explained that wet waste, including kitchen scraps, vegetable and fruit peels, and flowers, will be directed for composting or bio-methanation, while dry waste such as plastic, paper, metal, glass, wood, and rubber will be sent to material recovery facilities.
Sanitary waste like diapers and sanitary products must be securely wrapped and stored separately, and hazardous “special care” waste such as paint cans, expired medicines, bulbs and thermometers will be handled by authorised
waste pickers.
Further, bulk waste generators, including gated communities and institutions with an area exceeding 5,000 square metres, will be required to process wet waste on-site. The rules also prohibit mixing of biomedical waste with general solid waste.
The SWM Rules, 2026, also incorporate the “polluter pays” principle, enabling authorities to levy environmental compensation for violations such as non-segregation,
unauthorised operations, false reporting, and improper waste handling practices.