Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (“Ministry”) has notified the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Amendment Rules, 2024 amending the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 (“Rules”). These Amendment Rules will come into effect on 1st April, 2024.
Key Highlights:
- The occupiers of facilities are required to store the hazardous and other wastes for a period not exceeding 90 days. Ministry has revised the allowed extension period of these 90 days for small generators (between 5 to 10 tonnes per annum) up to 180 days of their annual capacity and for small generators (less than 5 tons per annum) up to 365 days of their annual capacity.
- Post-industrial or pre-consumer polyethylene wastes is now permitted to be imported with a requirement to export at least 35% of the total annual turnover.
- Post-industrial or pre-consumer wastes of Polysiloxanes (a waste containing principally organic constituents, which may contain metals and inorganic materials) is now included as part of wastes that can be imported or exported without prior informed consent under Schedule III.
- While applying for renewal of authorization granted under these Rules, the occupiers, recyclers, reprocessors, reusers, user and operators of disposal facilities are now required to ensure the following conditions of authorization:
- The occupier is required to send any hazardous waste generated sporadically due to unforeseen conditions such as fire, natural calamity, chemical spill, etc, to the operator of disposal facility or actual user for the purpose of these Rules.
- Include the hazardous waste which is routinely generated in the consented manufacturing process in the authorised premises in the authorisation within one month from identification of any such waste, provided that it shall not apply in the case when production is beyond the consented capacity.
Source: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
