Waste Management in India: Challenges & Solutions

Table of contents

India, despite its Swachh Bharat Mission and various waste management rules, continues to face a massive crisis of unmanaged waste, especially plastic. The recent Supreme Court verdict on continuing mandamus in the Vellore tanneries case has opened a vital judicial pathway to enforce environmental rights and sustainable waste management.

Judicial Dimensions: Continuing Mandamus as a Compliance Tool

Continuing Mandamus is a constitutional remedy (Article 32 and 226) where courts retain jurisdiction to ensure time-bound implementation of orders.
In the Vellore Tanneries Case (2025), the Supreme Court enforced land remediation through continuing mandamus, forming a compliance-monitoring committee with a 4-month deadline.
The Court invoked the Polluter Pays, Precautionary, and Government Pay Principles, emphasising that “justice is incomplete without timely compliance.”

Waste Crisis in India

Waste Management Infrastructure: India has 3,084 dumpsites, many lacking proper engineering & environmental protections. Also, there are 1,244 landfills, with only 645 in use that meet regulations.
Urban Waste Collection: Urban areas in India report about 95% waste collection coverage, excluding rural regions and informal sector contributions.
Plastic Waste Generation: India generates about 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, accounting for roughly 20% of global plastic leakage into the environment.
Per Capita Plastic Waste: Official estimates suggest 0.12 kg/person/day of plastic waste, while actual data shows 0.54 kg/person/day, indicating underreporting.
Plastic Pollution in Himalayan Region: The Himalayan region suffers from severe plastic pollution. Plastics comprise 92.7% of waste, 72% of which is non-recyclable.
Waste-to-Energy (WtE) Plants: India has 12 operational WtE plants, but most are running under capacity due to poor segregation and high inert content of the waste, which limits their efficiency.
E-Waste Management: About 30% of e-waste is collected through formal channels, making India the 3^rd largest producer globally, with the informal sector handling most of its recycling.
Single-Use Plastic Ban: Over 70% of banned plastic items still circulate despite the 2022 ban due to weak enforcement and a lack of alternatives.

Key Challenges in Waste Management in India

Inconsistent and Fragmented Data Systems: No standardised methodology for waste data collection across States and ULBs; rural waste remains largely unmonitored and unreported.
Severe Infrastructure Deficit: Only ~645 operational sanitary landfills; widespread shortage of MRFs, with poor geotagging and real-time tracking mechanisms.
Weak Policy Enforcement Mechanisms: Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 lack uniform implementation; legacy waste clearance under SBM 2.0 is below 20% nationwide.
Systemic Neglect of Informal Sector: Approximately 1.5 to 2 million informal waste workers handle 60% of recycling, yet lack EPR coverage and essential social protections.
Lack of Institutional Accountability: Waste management plans often stay on paper due to low political prioritisation, poor inter-agency coordination, and limited public engagement.

Strategic Solutions for Effective Waste Management in India

Institutionalise Data Transparency: Conduct waste audits at ULB and PRI levels with third-party checks, utilising IoT and GIS for geotagging and monitoring systems.
Develop Decentralised Waste Infrastructure: Equip local bodies with functional MRFs, landfills, certified recyclers, and EPR kiosks for PIBOs.
Operationalise and Digitise EPR Framework: Mandate PIBOs to create collection systems, integrate AI for tracking, and ensure source segregation with dedicated personnel.
Strengthen Legal and Judicial Enforcement: Empower courts to oversee and enforce waste laws through a National Environmental Compliance Authority.
Formalise the Informal Sector: Integrate waste pickers into the formal EPR ecosystem with training and legal safeguards.

Key Initiatives for Effective Solid Waste Management

Smart Cities Mission: Over 60 cities leverage technology like GPS and AI for efficient route management and waste collection, improving daily operations and minimising inefficiencies.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase-II: Focuses on solid waste management at the village level, promoting waste segregation and improving rural sanitation facilities.
Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) – SBM-U 2.0: Aims for a “Garbage-Free” status for all urban areas by 2026, emphasising source segregation, recycling, and reducing landfills.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): Enforces accountability on producers for managing waste from their products, driving recycling and proper disposal systems.
Waste-to-Energy Plants: Promotes energy generation from waste, reducing landfill use and contributing to renewable energy targets.
Plastic Waste Management Rules (2016): Targets reducing plastic waste through strict regulations on single-use plastics, recycling, and extended producer responsibility.
Solid Waste Management Rules (2024): Mandates waste segregation for bulk generators, empowers sanitation workers to impose fines, and introduces compensation under the “polluter pays” principle.

Way Forward: ‘Sankalp se Siddhi’ towards Sarvashreshtha Bharat

Adopt the ‘Reform–Perform–Transform’ Model: Revise waste governance, implement real-time monitoring, and foster a circular economy aligned with SDGs.
Promote Jan Andolan (People’s Movement) for Waste Segregation: Launch awareness campaigns to encourage waste segregation at all levels, leveraging community participation.
Combine Technological Capacity with Legal Enforcement: Use AI-driven tools and mobile apps for waste tracking, backed by strict implementation of EPR and polluter pays norms.
Enforce the 3Ds of Good Governance in Waste Management: Implement Delayering, Delegation, and Digitalisation for efficient and transparent waste governance.

India’s waste management crisis impacts the right to life and health. Judicial activism offers a path forward, but compliance, decentralisation, and data transparency are key to a swachh India.

Reference: The Hindu | PMFIAS: Solid Wastes

PMF IAS Pathfinder for Mains – Question 178

Q. Despite multiple policies and judicial interventions, India’s waste management ecosystem remains fragmented and inefficient. Critically examine the key challenges in solid waste management in India. Suggest strategic reforms to ensure sustainable and inclusive waste governance. (250 Words) (15 Marks)

Approach

Introduction: Briefly introduce India’s waste management crisis, highlighting the alarming statistics on waste generation, scientific processing, and policy failures despite initiatives like SBM and EPR.
Body: Discuss the challenges and strategic reforms for effective waste governance for sustainability.
Conclusion: In conclusion, waste management is a constitutional issue; governance reforms, digitalisation, legal enforcement, and community involvement are key to sustainable solutions.