Revised rules on waste management by July 15: Javadekar

The government will come out with revised rules on waste management by July 15, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar today said.
The minister also recognised ragpickers' contribution in managing waste on the Labour day.
The reason behind the revised rules is to make waste management more effective and scientific to change the face of the country in the next three-four years and thereby achieve Swachch Bharat (Clean India), he said.
The revised rules pitch for segregation of waste at the source. Though it is an "ambitious" target, but "much difficult to achieve", he added.
"The draft rules on waste management have been prepared. After seeking public comments, the revised rules will be notified by July 15," Javadekar told PTI on the sidelines of a stakeholders' consultation meeting on the draft Waste Management Rules 2015 organised by industry body CII.

The rules on waste management are being revised as the norms (on solid waste, e-waste, biomedical waste and plastic waste) have not been changed for last many years, he said, adding that rules are being changed taking public views.

"For years, these rules were not revised. We are revising with public consultation. With new technologies, we will make waste management more effective to change the face of the country within five years. That's how we will achieve Swachh Bharat," the Minister said.
Emphasising the importance of segregation of waste, he said that only 15 per cent of the waste gets separated as organic and unorganic waste like in Mumbai at present.

Much of the domestic waste either gets into water or remains on earth in the form of a landfill dump on the outskirts of a city, he said.
"It is an uphill task to achieve 100 per cent segregation in the next 3-4 years. But we can, we will do it," he said, adding that there is a need to create awareness on this issue.
Waste management should be incorporated as part of a school curriculum as it is easy to teach children during their growing age as compared to elders, he said and added that he would speak to the HRD Minister in this regard.

Applauding the contribution of ragpickers in managing solid waste, the Minister said: "On Labour day, I recognise ragpickers contribution. They have done wonderful service to the country for years together.
"In an environment when there is no scientific management of waste, they toiled their labour and they lead what we should have done much earlier," he added.