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{{Short description|none}} 
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
{{multiple image
| direction = vertical
| width = 240
| footer = India relies on large scale landfills and the informal sector to help address its growing waste management challenges
| image1 = City Garbage Dump - Dhapa - Kolkata 2010-08-06 7017 (cropped).JPG
| alt1 = Kolkata landfill
| caption1 = Solid Waste Disposal Ground in Kolkata
| image2 = India (4128563988).jpg
| alt2 = Recycler
| caption2 =
}}
'''[[Waste management]] in [[India]] '''falls under the purview of the Union [[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change]] (MoEF&CC). In 2016, this ministry released the Solid Wastage Management (SWM) Rules, which replaced by the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, and 2000 of which had been in place for 16 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.civilsdaily.com/solid-waste-management-rules-2016/|title=Solid waste management rules, 2016|date=2017-09-15|website=Civilsdaily|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-26}}</ref> This national policy plays a significant role in the acknowledgment and inclusion of the informal sector ([[waste pickers]]) into the waste management process for the first time.

India generates {{convert|62|e6t}} of waste each year. About 43 million tonnes (70%) are collected, of which about 12 million tonnes are treated, and 31 million tonnes are dumped in [[landfill]] sites.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.civilsdaily.com/solid-waste-management-rules-2016/|title=Solid waste management rules, 2016|date=2017-09-15|website=Civilsdaily|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-26}}</ref><ref name="downtoearth.org.in">{{Cite web|url=https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/waste/solid-waste-management-rules-2016-53443|title=Government notifies new solid waste management rules|website=www.downtoearth.org.in/|language=en|access-date=2019-03-26}}</ref>

[[File:Litter on farmland.jpg|thumb|Farmland in [[Uttar Pradesh]] polluted by littering]]

With changing [[consumption pattern]]s and rapid [[economic growth]], it is estimated that urban [[municipal solid waste]] generation will increase to 165 million tonnes in 2030.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=138591|title='Solid Waste Management Rules Revised After 16 Years; Rules Now Extend to Urban and Industrial Areas': Javadekar|website=pib.nic.in|access-date=2019-03-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/content/427824/solid-waste-management-rules-2016/|title=Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 - India Environment Portal {{!}} News, reports, documents, blogs, data, analysis on environment & development {{!}} India, South Asia|website=www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in|access-date=2019-03-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://iascurrent.com/municipal-solid-waste-management-mswm/|title=Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Management - IAS prep - Sept 2017 update|last=admin|date=2017-05-06|website=iascurrent.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-03-26}}</ref>

== Littering Culture ==

Littering remains a deeply entrenched challenge in India. The country produces roughly 65 million tonnes of waste annually, yet about 80% goes unrecycled or untreated, with much of it ending up in open dumps or overflowing landfills.<ref>https://bharatnama.substack.com/p/11-indias-waste-crisis-why-80-of</ref> According to government data presented in India's parliament, approximately 40% of plastic waste remains uncollected and ends up littered on streets.<ref>https://www.downtoearth.org.in/waste/40-plastic-waste-littered-on-india-s-streets-javadekar-in-lok-sabha-67887</ref> The problem has deep historical roots, traditional biodegradable materials like leaves and clay have been replaced by non-biodegradable plastics due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, while waste management infrastructure and public awareness have failed to keep pace.<ref>https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/littering-india-deep-rooted-habit-growing-consequences-aiswarya-k-l/</ref> The consequences are far-reaching: plastic waste clogs urban drainage systems and contributes to flooding, while an estimated 80% of marine litter along India's coastlines consists of plastic.<ref>https://www.plasticsforchange.org/blog/india-emerges-as-the-worlds-largest-plastic-polluter-what-went-wrong-and-whats-next</ref>

== Municipal Solid Waste Management ==
Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) in India involves the systematic handling of waste from generation to disposal, including segregation, collection, transportation, processing, and final disposal.<ref>{{cite web |title=Central Pollution Control Board |url=https://cpcb.nic.in/}}</ref>
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are primarily responsible for municipal solid waste management in India, including collection, transportation, processing, and disposal within their jurisdictions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs |url=https://mohua.gov.in/}}</ref>

== Household waste generation and composition ==
[[File:Hills have eyes use us.jpg|thumb|Small-town waste separation initiative in Idukki District, Kerala]]

Solid waste management (SWM) is a major problem for many urban local bodies (ULBs) in India, where [[urbanization]], [[industrialization]], and economic growth have resulted in increased [[municipal solid waste]] (MSW) generation per person. Effective SWM is a major challenge in cities with high population density.

Achieving sustainable development within a country experiencing rapid population growth and improvements in living standards is made more difficult in India because it is a diverse country with many different religious groups, cultures, and traditions.

Despite development in social, economic and environmental areas, SWM systems in India have remained relatively unchanged. The informal sector has a key role in extracting value from waste, with approximately 90% of residual waste currently dumped rather than properly landfilled. There is an urgent need to move to more sustainable SWM, which requires new management systems and waste management facilities. Current SWM systems are inefficient, with waste having a negative impact on public health, the environment, and the economy. Despite policy interventions, challenges remain in ensuring effective segregation at source, improving processing capacity, and reducing dependence on landfills across urban areas.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Challenges in Waste Management in India}}</ref>. The Waste Management and Handling Rules in India were introduced by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), yet, compliance is variable and limited.<ref name="Kumar Smith Fowler Velis 2017 p. 160764">{{cite journal | last=Kumar | first=Sunil | last2=Smith | first2=Stephen R. | last3=Fowler | first3=Geoff | last4=Velis | first4=Costas | last5=Kumar | first5=S. Jyoti | last6=Arya | first6=Shashi | last7=Kumar | first7=Rakesh | last8=Cheeseman | first8=Christopher | title=Challenges and opportunities associated with waste management in India | journal=Royal Society Open Science | publisher=The Royal Society | volume=4 | issue=3 | year=2017 | issn=2054-5703 | doi=10.1098/rsos.160764 | article-number=160764| doi-access=free | pmc=5383819 }}</ref>

== E-waste in India ==
{{main|Electronic waste in India}}
[[File:Waste collection truck.jpg|thumb|Waste collection truck in [[Ahmedabad]], [[Gujarat]]]]
The global [[e-waste]] monitor, a collaboration between the [[International Telecommunication Union]] (ITU) and the [[United Nations University]], estimated that India generated 1.975 million tonnes of e-waste in 2016 or approximately 1.5 kg of e-waste per capita.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globalewaste.org/countrystatistics/india-2016/|title=India – 2016|website=E-Waste|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-25|archive-date=27 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090815/https://globalewaste.org/countrystatistics/india-2016/}}</ref>

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry ([[ASSOCHAM]]) stated rapid economic growth and changing [[consumer behaviour]] was likely to increase e-waste generation in India to 5.2 million tonnes per year by 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/indias-e-waste-to-touch-5-2-mmt-by-2020-assocham-ey-study/articleshow/68240340.cms|title=India's e-waste to touch 5.2 MMT by 2020: ASSOCHAM-EY study - Times of India|website=The Times of India|access-date=2019-03-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.asianage.com/business/in-other-news/030319/india-to-generate-over-5-million-tonnes-of-e-waste-next-year-assocham-ey-study.html|title=India to generate over 5 million tonnes of e-waste next year: ASSOCHAM-EY study|date=2019-03-03|website=The Asian Age|access-date=2019-03-25}}</ref>

== Solid Waste Management Rules ==

Solid Waste Management Rules were inaugurated in 2016. Highlights include:
[[File:Sign. Mahabalipuram.jpg|thumb|Waste not the Waste - sign. [[Mahabalipuram]], Tamil Nadu]]
* [[Waste segregation]] at source is mandatory. Households are required to separate waste into three streams – Organic or [[biodegradable]] waste, dry waste (such as plastic, paper, metal, and wood), and domestic [[hazardous waste]] (diapers, napkins, mosquito repellents, cleaning agents). Further, bulk waste generators such as hotels and hospitals are expected to treat organic waste either onsite or by collaborating with the urban local body.<ref name="downtoearth.org.in"/>
* Municipalities and urban local bodies have been directed to include informal [[waste picker]]s and rag pickers into their waste management process. This is the first time that national policy has acknowledged and included the informal sector into the waste management process. India has over 1.5 million subsistence informal waste pickers and including them into the formal waste management system represents an opportunity for urban local bodies to streamline their operations, while provide the waste pickers with better income opportunities.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Dandapani|first=Swetha|date=30 November 2017|title=Unpaid and undervalued, how India's waste pickers fight apathy to keep our cities clean|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/oppressed-and-unrecognised-life-waste-pickers-crucial-india-s-sanitation-72426|access-date=2019-03-26|website=www.thenewsminute.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wiego.org/publications/mainstreaming-waste-pickers-and-informal-recycling-sector-municipal-solid-waste|title=Mainstreaming Waste Pickers and the Informal Recycling Sector|author=Bharati Chaturvedi}}</ref>
* Manufacturers of fast-moving consumer goods [[FMCG]] that use non-biodegradable packaging are required to put in place a system to collect the [[packaging waste]] generated due to their production.<ref name="downtoearth.org.in"/>
* Urban local bodies have been given a provision to charge bulk generators a user fee to collect and process their waste. Additionally, spot fines may be levied on people burning garbage or discarding it in public places.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/photos/news/10-things-that-you-need-to-know-about-solid-waste-management-rules-2016-24292|title=10 Things That You Need To Know About Solid Waste Management Rules 2016|website=NDTV.com|access-date=2019-03-26}}</ref>
* No non-recyclable waste having a [[calorific value]] of 1,500 Kcal/kg or more is permitted in landfills. These wastes should either be utilized for generating energy or for preparing [[Refuse-derived fuel|refuse derived fuel]]. It may also be used for [[co-processing]] in cement or thermal power plants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/swachh-india-guide-solid-waste-management-rules-2016-6253/|title=Swachh India: Guide To Solid Waste Management Rules 2016 {{!}} Waste Management|date=2017-04-17|website=NDTV-Dettol Banega Swachh India|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-26}}</ref>

== City-based initiatives ==

In 2014 India inaugurated the [[Swachh Bharat Mission]], a five-year nationwide cleanup effort. Before this national consolidated effort for systematic and total waste management came into common consciousness, many cities and towns in India had already launched individual efforts directed at municipal waste collection of segregated waste, either based on citizen activism and/or municipal efforts to set up sustainable systems.

Some examples are Swach based in [[Pune]] (formed in 1993),<ref>[https://swachcoop.com Swach Co-op]</ref> [[Warangal|Clean Cities Championship in Warangal]], [[Alappuzha|''Nirmal Bhavanam, Nirmal Nagaram'' or Clean Homes, Clean City in Alappuzha]], [[Gangtok|Engage 14 campaign in Gangtok]], [[Bobbili|Zero Waste in Bobbili, Andhra Pradesh]], [[Mysore|Waste Management in Mysore]] and [[Bangalore|Solid Waste Management Round Table, Bangalore]] (formed in 2009).<ref>{{Cite web|title=SWMRT – Solid Waste Management Round Table|url=http://swmrt.com/|access-date=2020-08-09|language=en-US}}</ref> Bangalore's [[Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike|Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike]] was directed by the High Court of [[Karnataka]] to implement mandatory segregation of municipal waste at the household level before collection – a first for the country.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Staff Reporter|date=2012-08-01|title=High Court notice to government on segregation of waste at source|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/high-court-notice-to-government-on-segregation-of-waste-at-source/article3708796.ece|access-date=2020-08-09|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> It is a representation of citizen-based activism at a local level, and the litigation was led by notable activists such as [[Almitra Patel]] and [[Nalini Shekar]]. Following this High Court ruling, other cities in India have followed suit to make segregation of municipal waste mandatory at the generator level, [[Mumbai]],<ref>{{Cite web|last=Singh|first=Vijay V.|date=6 December 2016|title=Soon, segregation of dry and wet waste will be compulsory all housing societies|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Soon-segregation-of-dry-and-wet-waste-will-be-compulsory-all-housing-societies/articleshow/55820318.cms|access-date=2020-08-09|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref> in typical. As per the Swachh Survekshan 2020 (Clean Survey, released in August, 2020) of the Govt. of India, the order of top 20 cleanest cities, with name of the respective state in parentheses, in India are as follows: 1. Indore (Madhya Pradesh) for the fourth consecutive year, 2. Surat (Gujarat), 3. Navi Mumbai (Maharashtra), 4. Ambikapur (Chhattisgarh), 5. Mysuru (Karnataka), 6. Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh), 7. Ahmedabad (Gujarat), 8. New Delhi (Delhi), 9. Chandrapur (Maharashtra), 10. Khargone (Madhya Pradesh), 11. Rajkot (Gujarat), 12. Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), 13. Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), 14. Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), 15. Gandhinagar (Gujarat), 16. Chandigarh (Union Territory), 17. Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh), 18. Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), 19. Nashik (Maharashtra) and 20. Raigarh (Chhattisgarh).<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Reddy|first=Dhana Raju|year=2021|title=Waste Management in India – An Overview|url=https://uijrt.com/articles/v2/i7/UIJRTV2I70022.pdf|journal=United International Journal for Research & Technology|language=English|volume=02|issue=7|pages=175–196|issn=2582-6832}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! State !! City !! Initiative Name<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Transforming Urban Landscapes of India|url=http://164.100.228.143:8080/sbm/content/writereaddata/SBM%20Coffee%20Table%20Book_Final.pdf|access-date=2020-08-09|website=Government of India}}</ref>
!Implementing Agency
|-
|[[Ladakh|Ladakh (UT)]]||[[Leh]]|| Project Tsangda
|Rural Development Department<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Chhattisgarh]]||[[Durg]]|| -
|Municipal Corporation<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Chhattisgarh]]||[[Ambikapur, Chhattisgarh|Ambikapur]]|| -
|Municipal Corporation<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Karnataka]]||[[Mysore|Mysuru]]|| -
|City Corporation<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Maharashtra]]||[[Navi Mumbai]]|| -
|[[Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation]]<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Andhra Pradesh]]||[[Visakhapatnam district|Visakhapatnam]]|| -
|Municipal Corporation<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Karnataka]]||[[Bangalore|Bengaluru]]|| -
|[[Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike]]<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Madhya Pradesh]]||[[Indore]]|| -
|[[Indore Municipal Corporation]]<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Maharashtra]]||[[Pune]]|| -
|[[Pune Municipal Corporation]]<ref name=":0" />
|-
|[[Karnataka]]
|[[Bangalore|Bengaluru]]
|Bettahalasur Project
|TAICT<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-08-24|title=How a German and a Philosophy Student Transformed this Village Near Bengaluru|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/113094/waste-management-bengaluru-village-recycling/|access-date=2020-08-09|website=The Better India|language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
|[[Tamil Nadu]]
|[[Madurai district|Madurai]]
|[[T.Kallupatti|T Kallupatti]]
|[[Town panchayat]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Madurai/t-kallupatti-first-local-body-to-receive-iso-certification/article18075153.ece|title=T. Kallupatti, first local body to receive ISO certification|last=B.a|first=Pon Vasanth|date=2017-04-17|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-01-21|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
|-
|[[West Bengal]]
|[[Kolkata]]
|Kolkata Solid Waste Management Improvement Project
|[[Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebetterindia.com/78610/uttarpara-west-bengal-solid-waste-management-system/|title=A Small Town in West Bengal Helped Kolkata Win a Global Award for Waste Management|date=2016-12-19|website=The Better India|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/a-tiny-town-in-west-bengal-is-turning-waste-into-piles-of-wealth/story-wDI7lRq4JCcd8o7fobQeKJ.html|title=A tiny town in West Bengal is turning waste into piles of wealth|date=2016-12-13|website=Hindustan Times|language=en|access-date=2019-01-21}}</ref>
|}

== Information technology (IT) initiatives ==

[[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change|MoEFCC]] launched a web based application in 2016 to track and monitor waste management in India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in|title=/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=145110|date=9 May 2016|website=Press Information Bureau}}</ref> The application, ''Integrated Waste Management System'', collects information and assists in coordinating waste generators, recyclers, operators of disposal facilities and state agencies.  

Recent developments include the adoption of digital waste management systems for tracking waste generation, collection, and processing, improving transparency and regulatory compliance across cities.<ref>{{cite web |title=MoEFCC Waste Tracking System |url=https://mohua.gov.in/}}</ref>

== Public-private partnership initiatives ==

[[Public-private partnership]]s (PPP) have been promoted by the Government of India for improving waste management services,<ref>{{cite news |date=November 2009 |title=Position paper on The Solid Waste Management sector in India |publisher=Ministry of Finance, Government of India |agency=Department of Economic Affairs |url=http://environmentportal.in/files/ppp_position_paper_solid_waste_mgmt.pdf |via=environmentportal.in/content/308715/position-paper-on-the-solid-waste-management-sector-in-india/}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Joshi |first1=Rajkumar |last2=Ahmed |first2=Sirajuddin |last3=Ng |first3=Carla Aparecida |title=Status and challenges of municipal solid waste management in India: A review |journal=Cogent Environmental Science |date=19 February 2016 |volume=2 |issue=1 |doi=10.1080/23311843.2016.1139434|doi-access=free }}</ref> yet, have remained problematic. The challenges of improving solid waste management services in India are caused by lack of financial resources, lack of appropriate skills and technological competencies with the [[public sector]]. Governments have started to explore PPPs as an alternative.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Devkar |first1=Ganesh A. |last2=Mahalingam |first2=Ashwin |last3=Kalidindi |first3=Satyanarayana N. |title=Competencies and urban Public-Private Partnership projects in India: A case study analysis |journal=Policy and Society |date=3 March 2017 |volume=32 |issue=2 |pages=125–142 |doi=10.1016/j.polsoc.2013.05.001|s2cid=155072781 }}</ref> The progress and improvement achieved remained low. Research on this has suggested recommendations in accordance with some issues uncovered.<ref name="Factors affecting public-private pa">{{cite journal |last1=Dolla |first1=Tharun |last2=Laishram |first2=Boeing |title=Factors affecting public-private partnership preference in Indian municipal waste sector |journal=International Journal of Construction Management |date=20 December 2019 |volume=20 |issue=6 |pages=567–584 |doi=10.1080/15623599.2019.1703085|s2cid=213509856 }}</ref> For example, PPP in MSW is considered immature, yet, high pre-qualification requirements were established.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dolla |first1=Tharun |last2=Laishram |first2=Boeing |title=Prequalification in municipal solid waste management public-private partnerships of India |journal=Construction Economics and Building |date=8 May 2019 |volume=19 |issue=1 |doi=10.5130/AJCEB.v19i1.6431|doi-access=free }}</ref> The urban local bodies (ULBs) found difficulties in defining an appropriate scope for some PPP projects.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Dolla |first1=Tharun |last2=Laishram |first2=Boeing |title=Bundling in public-private partnership projects – a conceptual framework |journal=International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management |date=22 November 2019 |volume=69 |issue=6 |pages=1177–1203 |doi=10.1108/IJPPM-02-2019-0086|s2cid=214533076 }}</ref> The specific issue encounters include a dire need of services are the primary reason behind opting for PPP mode;<ref name="Factors affecting public-private pa"/> the perception that PPP gives greater benefit to the public; third and interconnected: PPPs avoid financial stress on the public sector; and fourth, PPPs are thought to constrain transaction costs and give value for the money invested. The research also revealed some serious negative issues that have crept-in while using PPP mode.<ref name="Factors affecting public-private pa"/> They are often procured in an incompetent manner, and as opposed to the expectation, they have resulted in high transaction costs and ineffective projects. The [[private sector]] appeared to be exploiting the sector without any beneficial projects.<ref name="Factors affecting public-private pa"/>

== See also ==
* [[Environment of India]]
* [[Ghazipur landfill]]
* [[Bhalswa landfill]]
* [[Pirana Landfill]]
* [[Bandhwari Landfill]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}

{{Landfills in india}}
{{Waste}}

[[Category:Waste management in India| ]]

Waste management in India - Revision history

BabulHossainjoy: created the stub added tags - done