SWM Rules 2026 guide
SWM Rules 2026: what applies to your organisation
The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 are in force from 1 April 2026. Every generator must segregate waste into four streams. Some organisations have more to do: all RWAs, market associations, hotels and restaurants (Rule 5(2)), and any bulk waste generator, which is an organisation in a listed category that meets any one of: 20,000 sq.m. of floor area, 40,000 litres of water a day or 100 kg of waste a day.
Pick your organisation type to see what applies to you.
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Housing societies and RWAs
Named in Rule 5(2) · listed bulk waste generator category
Hotels
Named in Rule 5(2) · listed bulk waste generator category
Restaurants
Named in Rule 5(2) · ask your local body how you are listed
Hospitals
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Schools
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Colleges
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Universities
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Malls
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Corporate offices
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
IT parks
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · ask your local body how you are listed
Hostels and PGs
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Government offices
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Wholesale markets and mandis
Named in Rule 5(2) · listed bulk waste generator category
Stadiums
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Banquet and convention halls
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Auditoriums and exhibition centres
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · ask your local body how you are listed
Tourist spots
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Railway stations, bus depots and ports
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Airports
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · listed bulk waste generator category
Senior living communities
Rule 5(2) if above 5,000 sq.m. · ask your local body how you are listed
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The three levels of duty
Rule 5(1)
Every generator
Segregate into wet, dry, sanitary and special care waste, wrap sanitary waste securely, never burn, dump or bury waste, and pay user fees.
Rule 5(2)
RWAs, market associations, hotels, restaurants; gated communities and institutions above 5,000 sq.m.
Facilitate separate collection, hand recyclables to authorised waste pickers or recyclers, and process wet waste on site as far as possible, within one year of notification and in partnership with the local body.
Rule 6
Bulk waste generators
Register on the CPCB portal, process wet waste or hold an exemption, buy EBWGR certificates, use only registered partners, file the annual return by 30 June.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the SWM Rules 2026?
The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 were notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as S.O. 388(E) dated 27 January 2026, published in the Gazette on 28 January 2026, and are in force from 1 April 2026. They apply to every waste generator, and add duties for bulk waste generators and for certain named entities.
Who must follow the SWM Rules 2026?
Every waste generator must segregate waste into four streams (wet, dry, sanitary and special care), wrap sanitary waste securely, never burn or dump waste, and pay user fees (Rule 5(1)). All RWAs, market associations, hotels and restaurants, and gated communities and institutions above 5,000 sq.m., have further duties under Rule 5(2). Bulk waste generators have the most (Rule 6).
What is a bulk waste generator?
An organisation in a listed category that meets any one of three tests: a building floor area of 20,000 sq.m., water consumption of 40,000 litres a day or solid waste generation of 100 kg a day (Rule 3(1)(i)). The number of flats, rooms or beds is not a test.
What must a bulk waste generator do?
Register on the CPCB portal at swm.cpcb.gov.in, process wet waste or hold an exemption (existing generators only), buy EBWGR certificates, use only registered partners and file an annual return by 30 June (Rules 6 and 20(1)).
Are bio-medical, e-waste and construction waste covered?
No. Bio-medical, hazardous, e-waste, battery, construction and demolition and industrial waste are outside the SWM Rules, 2026 and have their own rules.
Where can I read the original text?
The notified rules are in the Gazette of India (S.O. 388(E)). CPCB publishes a summary of the salient features, and the centralised portal at swm.cpcb.gov.in is where registrations, EBWGR certificates and annual returns are handled.
Related guides
Sources
This is EarthReheal's plain-language summary, reviewed October 2026, for general information. It is not legal advice. Read the notified text and confirm with your local body, State Pollution Control Board or a qualified adviser before relying on it. EarthReheal is not a government body and does not file on the CPCB portal for you.