Waste management is a critical issue that affects the environment, economy, and public health on a global scale. In recent times, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in India has taken significant steps to address this problem. This article delves into the different initiatives related to waste management highlighted in a recent written reply by the Ministry in the Rajya Sabha.
Extended Producer Responsibility Mechanism
One of the salient initiatives highlighted is the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanism. EPR is a policy approach that holds producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products, including collection, recycling, and disposal. This aims to lessen the environmental impact of products by shifting the financial and physical burden of managing waste from governments and taxpayers to producers. In 2022, market mechanisms were utilized to implement EPR initiatives for several forms of waste such as plastic packaging, E-waste, battery waste, and used oil, which is seen as a strategy to support growth in the waste management sector.
Increased Waste Processing Capacity
Another crucial development has been the increase in the nation’s capacity for processing diverse types of waste. Of the estimated 1.5 lakh metric tons of waste generated per day in urban areas, about 76% is now processed. The processing capacity for various forms of waste such as solid, hazardous, bio-medical, E-waste, plastic, and construction and demolition waste has seen notable growth since 2014. Specifically, under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), solid waste processing capacity has grown by approximately 1.05 lakh MT/D over the last eight years.
Swachh Bharat Mission for Solid Waste Management
The Central Government provides assistance for solid waste management in urban and rural areas under the Swachh Bharat Mission. This includes plastic waste management, following scheme guidelines. The Swachh Bharat Mission Urban 2.0 (SBM-U 2.0) was launched in 2021 to achieve the vision of creating “Garbage Free Cities”. This entails achieving a minimum 3-star certification for all Urban Local Bodies under the Star Rating Protocol for Garbage Free Cities, covering door-to-door waste collection, source segregation, and scientific municipal solid waste management.
Waste Management Rules and Guidelines
The Ministry, acting under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, has implemented numerous waste management rules and guidelines to secure environmentally sound practices. These cover different categories of waste, including solid waste, plastic waste, bio-medical waste, construction and demolition waste, hazardous and other wastes, E-waste, and battery waste.
‘Polluter Pays’ Principle
A common principle in waste management is ‘polluter pays’, which dictates that those who generate pollution should bear the cost of managing it to prevent damage to human health or the environment. Based on this principle, guidelines have been developed for levying environmental damage charges and environmental compensation charges for hazardous waste, E-waste, and plastic waste.
This summarization of recent waste management initiatives by the Indian government provides valuable insights into the country’s strategic efforts to address this pressing global issue.