Environment Ministry notifies Hazardous Waste Management Rules, 2016

New Delhi, Apr 4 (KNN) The new Hazardous Waste Rules will ensure resource recovery and disposal of hazardous waste in environmentally sound manner, said Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Prakash Javadekar adding that the Rules are environment and industry- friendly.

The provisions of the new Rules are in line with this Government’s priority for Ease of Doing Business and Make in India, but with responsible concerns for sustainable development, he said while releasing the HW Rules, 2016 here on Sunday.

For the first time, Rules have been made to distinguish between Hazardous Waste and other wastes. Other wastes include: Waste tyre, paper waste, metal scrap, used electronic items, etc. and are recognized as a resource for recycling and reuse. These resources supplement the industrial processes and reduce the load on the virgin resource of the country. 

Some of the salient features of Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management &Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 include - the ambit of the Rules has been expanded by including ‘Other Waste’; and Waste Management hierarchy in the sequence of priority of prevention, minimization, reuse, recycling, recovery, co-processing; and safe disposal has been incorporated. 

Draft Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules were published in July, 2015 inviting suggestions and objections. 473 suggestions/ objections were received from Government organisations, institutions and private individuals.

Draft rules were shared with industry associations, Central Government ministries and State Governments. Stakeholders’ consultation meetings were organised in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bengaluru. A working group comprising technical and subject experts examined all the suggestions. Based on the recommendations of the Working Group, the Ministry has published the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management & Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016. (With PIB Inputs)