The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning major changes to the city’s solid waste management system. This move was followed by Central government's announcement of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026.
The new rules were notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change earlier this week. They will replace the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, which have been in place for a decade.
The new regulations will come into force across the country from April 1 and will apply to both urban and rural local bodies. As part of the proposed changes, the BMC is considering penalties for households that fail to properly segregate domestic hazardous waste. The civic body might also introduce a fee for managing waste at events that have more than 100 people. These steps are part of an effort to strengthen enforcement and reduce the pressure on dumping grounds.
One of the key changes under the new rules is four-stream segregation of waste at the source. This will apply to homes as well as large waste generators. For the first time, household hazardous waste has been clearly defined and must be collected separately. This category includes used tampons diapers, sanitary napkins, and other health and hygiene absorbent products.
As per reports, the corporation is considering enforcing four-way segregation across Mumbai. A new category for domestic hazardous waste will be added. This waste will be collected in yellow bins. Bulk waste generators will also be required to follow four-way segregation and process waste at the site where it is generated.
In Mumbai, an establishment is classified as a bulk waste generator if it covers more than 20,000 square metres, uses over 40,000 litres of water per day, or produces at least 100 kilograms of waste daily. This includes large housing complexes, colleges, and other institutions. Bulk waste generators that fail to process waste at the source as required under the new rules could face fines of up to INR 10,000.
The civic body also plans to charge a user fee for handling waste generated during events that attract more than 100 people at a time. This fee will apply to private and public events and is aimed at covering the cost of waste collection and processing.
BMC records show that as of January 2026, only 5,596 establishments in Mumbai were registered for the collection of special care waste. These include more than 4,000 residential complexes, 1,196 beauty salons, 347 educational institutions, and 42 women’s hostels. The low registration numbers highlight gaps in compliance with existing waste segregation practices.
To further manage waste and reduce landfill burden, the BMC plans to focus on commissioning waste-to-energy plants in the coming months. Although the new bylaws allow local bodies to impose a solid waste tax, BMC officials said Mumbai will not introduce such a charge.
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