ATR SWM RULES – 2026

Solid Waste and Legacy Waste Management- Biharsharif

Solid waste management is the systematic collection, segregation, transportation, processing, recycling, treatment, and safe disposal of solid waste generated by households, industries, commercial establishments, and institutions. Its main objective is to protect public health and the environment while promoting resource recovery.

Biharsharif Municipal Corporation promotes four way segragation of wastes at source- wet (biodegradable), dry (recyclable), sanitary, and special care waste/hazardous waste.

Rule Enforcement:- District authorities implement rigid waste protocols, prohibiting open dumping, garbage burning and public littering under SWM Rules- 2026 and local environmental laws.

Bulk Waste Generators:- Hotels, marriage halls, and large institutions must manage on-site waste processing or obtain local clearances for major events.

Steps in solid waste management:

Waste generation – Production of waste from various sources.

Segregation – Separating waste at source into:- Wet (biodegradable), Dry (recyclable), Sanitary and Special care waste.

Collection and transportation – Door-to-door collection and transport to processing facilities.

Processing and treatment:- Dry waste processed at MRF centres and wet waste at compost plants.

Final disposal – Scientific disposal of residual waste in sanitary landfills.

Legacy Waste Management-

Legacy waste management refers to the identification, treatment, and remediation of old, accumulated waste that has been dumped or stored for many years at open dumpsites or landfills.

Legacy waste management has become an important part of urban solid waste strategies, municipalities using biomining to eliminate decades-old dumps and restore contaminated sites.

Benefits:-

• Reclaim land occupied by old dumps.
• Reduce environmental pollution and public health risks.
• Recover recyclable materials and usable soil-like material.
• Recover metals, plastics, glass, and other recyclables.
• Mechanically screen and separate the material.
• Dispose of inert or hazardous residues in engineered facilities.

Problems and Challenges-

The Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026 under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) strengthen waste segregation, circular economy measures, digital monitoring, and legacy waste remediation. However, implementation faces several practical challenges.

Major problems and challenges in SWM Rules, 2026

• Poor segregation at source
• four-way segregation (wet, dry, sanitary, and domestic hazardous waste) is difficult to implement due to low public awareness and poor compliance.
• Separate collection vehicles,
• Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs),
• Scientific sanitary landfills.

This leads to continued dumping of untreated waste.

• Limited public participation
• Behavioural change is slow despite awareness campaigns.
• Citizen participation in segregation, composting, and recycling remains inconsistent.
• Digital monitoring issues:- The Rules promote digital reporting and dashboards, but many local bodies lack adequate IT infrastructure, trained staff, and reliable data systems.

Implementation Status and Progress:-

Legacy waste remediation-

Legacy waste remediation is the process of treating old, accumulated municipal solid waste (legacy waste) at dumpsites. It is commonly used to reclaim landfill space and reduce environmental pollution.

Legacy waste refers to millions of tonnes of untreated municipal solid waste accumulated over decades in unscientific open landfills. Under national urban sanitation frameworks—most prominently the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 and its Dumpsite Remediation Accelerator Programme (DRAP)—governments are targeting “Lakshya: Zero Dumpsites” to completely clear urban landfill mounds.

Bench mark progress-

The National Scale: An estimated 250 million metric tonnes of legacy waste occupied roughly 15,000 acres of prime urban land across 2,400+ identified dumpsites.

• Overall Clearance Progress: Over 60% of total identified legacy waste has been processed or is currently under active remediation across the country.
• Fully Cleared Dumpsites: Over 1,100+ dumpsites across more than 1,000 cities have achieved 100% remediation, successfully liberating prime real estate for public parks, green covers, or municipal infrastructure.
• Financial Backing: Central financial assistance allocated at roughly ₹550 per tonne of legacy waste processed, matching municipal and state budgetary co-funding.

In Biharsharif about 26000 MT legacy waste has been bio remediated till date and 107496 MT has been drone surveyed and in near future remediation work will start.

Solid Waste Management Rules 2026  – Download