Lok Sabha Question No. 1808 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-03-08
Subject: Solid Waste Management
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: PANKAJ CHOWDHARY, ADVOCATE NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1808 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.03.2016

## Solid Waste Management

## 1808.   SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY: ADV. NARENDRA KESHAV SAWAIKAR:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

(a) the  present  status  of  the  implementation  of  Solid  Waste  Management  policy  in  the country;

(b) whether the Government proposes to frame new rules for strict compliance of waste management including  solid  waste,  plastic  waste,  hazardous  waste,  bio-medical  waste  and construction and demolition waste and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government for effective implementation of Solid Waste Management policy in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  (INDEPENDENT  CHARGE)  FOR  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)

(a) As per available information, the total Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation in the country is 1,43,449 tons per day (tpd), out of which 1,17,644 tpd is collected, and 32,871 tpd is treated.  As per the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) (MSW) Rules, 2000, Municipal authorities are the implementing agencies, and are responsible for development  of  infrastructure  for  collection,  segregation,  transportation,  processing  and disposal  of  the  waste  within  their  jurisdictions.  For  environmentally  sound  management  of solid  waste  including  for  resource  recovery,553  compost  &vermi-compost  plants,  56  biomethanation plants, 22 refuse derived fuel plants and 13 Waste to Energy (W to E) plants have been set up in the country.

(b) & (c) Ministry has undertaken a comprehensive review of all the waste management rules including for solid waste, plastic waste, hazardous waste, bio-medical waste and electronic waste to  make  them  more effective.   Draft  revised rules  were  published during May-June, 2015  inviting  public  objections  and  suggestions.  Extensive  stakeholder  consultations  were held. The suggestions and objections received on these draft rules have been examined by the separate  Working  Groups  constituted  for  each  rule.  Based  on  the  recommendations  of  the Working Groups, the rules have been finalized.

The draft  Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2015 aim to increase minimum thickness of  plastic  carry  bags  from  40  to    50  microns,    stipulate  minimum  thickness  of  50  micron forplastic  sheets,  to  makeproducers  and  generators  responsible  to  put  in  place  collection systemsfor plastic waste by involving Producers/ Brand owners through  Extended Producers Responsibility;  to  introduce  collection  of  plastic  waste  management  fee  through  preregistration of the producers and importers of plastic carry bags / multilayered packaging and vendors;  to  strengthen  the  role  of  the  local  governments,  industrial  units  and  others  in effective management of plastic waste.

Draft  Solid  Waste  Management  Rules,  2015  aim  to  expand  the  jurisdiction  of applicability;  emphasize  on  gainful  utilization  of  wastes;  emphasis  zero  or  minimum landfilling,  enable local bodies to collect 'User Fee' and levy 'Spot Fine',  separate regime of disposal of diapers and sanitary napkins,  for disposal of Construction & Demolition wastes; promotion  of  city  compost  and  their  marketing;  enable  policy  formulation  for  Waste  to Energy; integration of ragpickers, kabadiwallas and self-help groups etc.in waste collection system. The Rules also delineate the role of stakeholders more explicitly including the role of waste generators, industries, waste recyclers, Central and State regulatory agencies.

To  ensure  better  implementation  of  management  of  hazardous  waste,  Ministry  had published  draft  Hazardous  and  Other  Waste  (Management  &  Transboundary  Movement) Rules, 2015 with an aim to simplify and decentralize the management and import procedures of  the  specified  wastes.  Under  the  proposed  rules,  the  user  industry  intending  to  use hazardous waste for recycling, recovery or for utilization either through domestic procurement or through import will be required to take only permission.  Import of various categories of waste such as metal scrap and used electrical and electronic equipment for reuse  purpose  are  being  exempted  from  the  need  of  taking  permission  from  the  Ministry  by including them in separate Schedule III D. The proposed amendment prohibits the import of household wastes, solid plastic waste, waste electronic assembly scraps, used tyres for direct reuse, critical care medical equipment, and biomedical waste.

To  ensure  better  implementation  of  management  of  electronic  waste,  Ministry  has published  draft  e-Waste  (Management)  Rules,  2015  which  include  expanding  producer's responsibility  under  Extended  Producer  Responsibility  (EPR),  setting  up  of  Producer Responsibility Organizations, and e-waste Exchange, assigning specific responsibility to bulk consumers  of  electronic  products  for  safe  disposal,  providing  for  economic  incentives  for collection  of  electronic  waste,  and  other  measures  to  include  dedicated  responsibility  of electronic  and  electrical  product  producers  for  collection  and  channelizing  of  electronic waste. Simplification in permission process for dismantling and recycling through one system of authorization instead of both registration and authorisation has been proposed.

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