Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM), 2016
- Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM), 2016 replaced the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules of 2000.
- These rules are now applicable beyond municipal are to urban agglomerations, census towns, notified industrial townships, areas under Indian Railways control, airports, airbases, ports, and harbours, defense establishments, special economic zones, State and Central government organizations, pilgrimage sites, and sites of religious and historical significance.
- The 2016, Solid waste management rules place a strong emphasis on the separation of waste at source, manufacturer responsibility for packaging and sanitary waste disposal, and user costs for bulk generator collection, disposal, and processing.
- Now it is the responsibility of generators to segregate the waste at the source into three types: wet (biodegradable), dry (plastic, paper, metal, wood, etc.), and domestic hazardous wastes (diapers, napkins, empty containers of cleaning agents, mosquito repellents, etc.)
- Biodegradable waste should be processed, treated, and disposed of on-site using composting or bio-methanation. The remaining trash should be given to the waste collection service or agency as directed by the local authorities.
- The recommendations promote the use of compost, waste-to-energy conversion, and alterations to landfill location and capacity parameters.
- In order to oversee the entire application of the legislation, the government has also formed a Central Monitoring Committee, which is led by the secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Food, and Climate Change.
- The Rules for the Safe Treatment of Legacy Waste require the use of bio-remediation and bio-mining at all open dumpsites and currently operational dumpsites in India.
- In addition, every Indian citizen is required under Article 51 A (g) of the Indian Constitution to safeguard and enhance the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers, and animals, as well as to exhibit compassion for all living things.
Urban Solid Waste Management and its Challenges
In urban India, solid waste management (SWM) has become one of the biggest development challenges. Numerous studies show that improper waste disposal produces hazardous gases and leachates as a result of microbial decomposition, environmental factors, and land-filling practices. India produces more than 150,000 tons of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) each day, with Mumbai ranking as the fifth most wasteful city in the world. However, only 83% of waste is collected, and only 30% of that is processed. A key component of sustainable Metropolitan growth is Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM). To reduce its damaging effects on the environment, solid waste is separated, stored, collected, moved, transported, processed, and disposed of. Unmanaged MSW contributes to the spread of a wide range of illnesses.
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