Overview Regarding the Land Waste Management

In India, with an increase in population daily, waste is also accumulating at an alarming rate. In 2016, to address the problem of land waste and establish a proper land waste management system, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) replaced the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000. The previous rules were replaced with the Solid Waste (Management) Rules, 2016. New SWM Rules apply to:-

1. Every urban local body

2. Outgrowths in urban agglomerations
3. Notified industrial townships
4. Areas under the control of Indian Railways
5. Census towns
6. Special economic zones
7. Ports and harbours
8. Airports/airbases
9. Defence establishments
10. Governmental authorities, either state or central
11. Places of pilgrims
12. The particular state authority may inform religious and historically significant places from time to time
13. Every domestic, institutional, industrial, and any other non-household solid waste producer situated in the areas

The latest report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) estimates the increase in solid waste generation. The table for the same is provided below -

The gap in Land Waste Management

According to the annual report of 2020-21 submitted by the Central Pollution Control Board to the MoEF&CC, there has been a decrease in the gap present between the generation of land waste and its management during the last six years. The percentage gap for Land Waste Management is noted to decrease from 40.99 per cent in 2015-16 to 25.82 per cent in 2019-20.

To continue this trend, there is a need for more land waste management plants under rule 15 (y) of the SWM Rules. The total number of authorisations granted by the State Pollution Control Board (SPCB)/Pollution Control Committee (PCC) is 456.

Eligibility for applying for Land Waste Management Authorisation

1. Any person handling the waste must get Land Waste Authorisation relating to handling, recovery, collection, transportation, processing and disposal of waste.
2. Apart from this, any organisation transforming biodegradable waste into new material.
3. The land allocation department should provide suitable land for the construction of the processing and treatment plants for solid waste. This land must be 100 meters from the river, 200 meters from the pond, 200 meters from the highway and another habitat as well as 20 km away from the airport.
4. The facility operator shall obtain appropriate authorisation from State Pollution Control Board/Pollution Control Committee so that state authorities can scrutinise and regulate their actions if they comply with Environmental Compliance.
5. A compiled annual report shall be submitted to the State Pollution Control Board and local authority by notified date by the authorised manufacturing plant of the land waste management, including the collection and treatment facility.

Documents required for applying for Land Waste Management Authorisation

Documents that are needed while filing for authorisation application under SWM Rules for Land Waste Management are: -

1. Location map and site plan
2. PAN card
3. Aadhar card
4. GST certificate
5. Agreement with other stakeholders
6. Document for site clearance
7. The procedure followed for storage and handling of solid waste (with photographs)
8. Consent to Establish certificate
9. Consent to Operate certificate
10. Procedure flow chart followed for Land Waste Management
11. In case of an application for renewal of authorisation, submit a Compliance Report w.r.t. the previous authorisation

Details of land waste disposal

Types of Land Waste in India

Land waste in India is categorised into three main categories according to the different land waste management processes. These three categories are: -

1. Municipal Solid Waste

Municipal Solid Waste includes waste from construction and demolition debris, waste from streets, household waste, sanitation residue, waste from commercial complexes, etc. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has listed Municipal Solid Waste, which includes commercial and residential waste and does not contain industrial hazardous waste but bio-medical waste.

2. Bio-Medical Waste

Bio-Medical Waste is the land waste produced in health service facilities like wasted medicines, first aid equipment, body fluids, etc. It is highly toxic and infectious if not appropriately managed.

3. Industrial Solid Waste

This category includes toxic, corrosive and highly flammable waste released by industries.

The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 stipulate 

1. That within two years, land waste management facilities should be set up by all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) having a 1,00,000 or more population 
2. Starting ordinary or autonomous sanitary landfills by or for all Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) where the population is 0.5 million or more within three years.

• Five years for bio-remediation or capping of old and abandoned landfill sites

Renewal land waste authorisation

Suppose the application for authorisation is submitted for the first time; in that case, it will remain valid for one year. In case of renewal, they must fill out Form 2 sixty days before Land Waste Management Authorisation expiration.

Procedure for applying for Land Waste Management Authorisation

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