New SWM Rules 2026: highlight is a four-bin system

If waste segregation is still not part of the daily routine in your home, then get ready to fall in line. New rules are coming into effect on April 1, 2026. Under the revised Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules 2026, notified recently by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, four-stream segregation of solid waste at source has been made mandatory. This means your household waste is required to be segregated into wet waste, dry waste, sanitary waste and special care waste; the later includes paint cans, bulbs, mercury thermometers and medicines.

The revised rules, which supersedes Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, integrate the principles of circular economy and extended producer responsibility, with a specific focus on waste segregation and management.

Those working in this space say some major concerns in Chennai include gaps in availability of collection vehicles and processing facilities. There is also a need to enforce rules strictly for all stakeholders.

All bulk waste generators are expected to process wet waste in situ or obtain an Extended Bulk Waste Generator Responsibility (EBWGR) certificate stating that on-site processing is not feasible. Bulk waste generator includes entities with a floor area of 20,000 square metres or more, or water consumption of 40,000 litres per day or more, or solid waste generation of 100 kg per day or more.

Material recovery facilities (MRFs) are again in the spotlight. Under the revised rules, local bodies are responsible for the collection, segregation and transportation of solid waste in coordination with MRFs which may also act as deposition points for e-waste, special care waste, sanitary waste and other waste streams for further processing. MRFs have been formally recognised as facilities for sorting of solid waste, says the note.

Local bodies have been encouraged to generate carbon credits.

Local bodies

The new rules emphasies creation of a Centralised Online Portal to track all stages of solid waste management, including waste generation, collection, transportation, processing and disposal, as well as biomining and bioremediation of legacy waste dump sites. Registration and authorisation of waste processing facilities with local bodies and State Pollution Control Boards or Pollution Control Committees shall be carried out online through the portal developed by the CPCB. The rules mandate audits of all waste processing facilities.

Voices

‘Have stringent rules in place’

While I welcome four-way segregation of waste, I wonder how many of the current waste collection vehicles seen on Chennai roads have space to accommodate multiple bins. Local bodies must set aside dedicated days when different kinds of waste are collected and this must be communicated to residents so that segregation becomes a habit. When we worked in various neighbourhoods in the past, we had pressed separate vehicles into service for dry and wet waste. Stringent rules should be enforced to make contractors/waste management companies fall in line. I wished the revised rules had insisted that big housing projects create infrastructure for composting of waste before handing over the project to residents.

Mangalam Balasubramanian, expert on solid waste management and founding president of Eco Chakra Abhiyan

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‘We will tweak our waste management rules’

Aashiana Apartments in Alwarpet is among the first gated communities in Chennai to start composting thanks to the small infrastructure created by the builder and the many programmes that we residents ran to get people to give only segregated waste. Even today our biodegredable waste is composted in situ. But we will have to tweak our waste management process as per the new SWM rules. Sanitary waste is currently included in dry waste. The new rules coming into force are only going to make it easier for us to enforce our segregation rules. Sadly non-compliance wittingly or otherwise happens at times and we have to keep reinforcing the rules.

Anita Hegde, Green Club volunteer, Aashiana Apartments

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‘Bulk waste generators must set an example’

Maintaining one more bin is going to be cumbersome for some residents, but it is just about getting used to the practice. We will be meeting to discuss how to bring about awareness about the new rules and how this new system can improve recycling efficiency and reducing landfill waste.

Currently, we follow the two bins, one bag method to collect waste. They were bought in bulk and given to residents for better compliance and uniformity. As in the past, we will have to educate all stakeholders about the rules. It is about consistent conversations and enforcement. Bulk waste generators like us have more reasons to follow rules and keep the city clean.

Our on site composting has been on a hiatus and I hope the new rules will nudge us to find new solutions to the challenges we faced in the past.

Sumitha Iyer, waste segregation team, The Central Park South and committee lead, FOMRRA Swacch Bharat

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‘We will have to conduct awareness sessions’

The new SWM Rules 2026 lays emphasis on all stakeholder in keeping a city clean by giving only segregated waste. It’s possible to follow the four-bin system and we will start conducting awareness sessions. The battery operated vehicles can accommodate eight bins, so it’s just about having some systems in place. Sanitary waste is a challenge and if residents are responsible in the way they dispose them then we will ensure it’s taken to the incinerator.

Official, SWM, GCC

Published – February 14, 2026 10:04 pm IST