The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2026, on Tuesday to give effect to this new framework. It places stringent onus on bulk generators – which account for 30 per cent of waste – to process solid waste at source. Four streams of mandatory segregation at source – wet waste, dry waste, sanitary waste and special care waste – have been defined. This will cover central and state government departments, local bodies, commercial establishments, residential societies, universities and hostels, among others. Furthermore, the introduction of Extended Bulk Waste Generator Responsibility (EBWGR) will target 30-40% of city waste, effectively promoting waste reduction at the source,” she said.