The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has proposed a solid waste management (SWM) cess of Rs 100 per month for each household. Urban local bodies (ULBs) levy user fee or SWM cess as per the provisions of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016. As per these guidelines, ULBs should charge user fee/cess for the provision of SWM services. Though there is no specified rate, ULBs usually charge around ₹30-50 per month as SWM cess, which is collected along with property tax.
SWM Cess
- Solid Waste Management (SWM) cess is a user fee or charge levied by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India.
- A cess is a form of tax or levy imposed by governments to fund specific services or purposes, such as waste management or infrastructure development.
Legal Provisions
- As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, ULBs are required to collect user fees or cess for SWM services. The suggested rise in fees is a response to the growing expenses and difficulties encountered by ULBs in efficiently handling solid waste.
Solid Waste Management Rules 2016
- These rules replaced the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000.
- It focused on the segregation of waste at source, the responsibility of the manufacturer to dispose of sanitary and packaging wastes, and user fees for collection, disposal and processing from the bulk generator.
Key Features
- Waste Segregation & Disposal: Residents must separate waste into wet (biodegradable), dry (recyclable), and hazardous categories. Segregated waste goes to authorised collectors or local bodies.
- Payments: Residents pay user fees for collection and face fines for littering or not segregating waste.
- Waste Processing: The SWM Rules encourage composting or bio-methanation of biodegradable waste whenever possible. Landfills, waste-to-energy plants, and special handling for hilly areas are also covered by the rules.
- Local Authority Duties: Municipalities collect segregated waste, ensure proper processing/disposal, and levy user fees to cover costs.
- Extended Producer Responsibility: Manufacturers of disposables (packaging) share responsibility for collection and financially support waste management systems.
Solid Waste Management
- Solid waste: These are unwanted or useless solid substances produced by human activities in residential, industrial or commercial areas.
- Classification of waste: Based on the physical state they are classified into solid, liquid and gaseous. Solid wastes are classified into municipal, hazardous, medical and radioactive wastes.
- Solid Waste Management: This process reduces or eliminates the negative impact on the environment and human health. Effective waste management for a municipality involves several processes including monitoring, collection, transportation, processing, recycling and disposal.
- Data on solid waste generation: The solid waste generated in Indian cities consists of about 55-60% wet biodegradable matter and 40-45% non-biodegradable matter. Dry waste has a very low share of recyclable material, only about 1-2%, while the rest is mostly non-recyclable and non-biodegradable waste. Although 55% of wet waste can be converted into organic manure or biogas, the yield is as low as 10-12%, making both composting and biogas production from solid waste economically unviable.
Methods of Solid Waste Management
- Recycling: Reprocessing used materials like paper, plastic, metal, and glass into new products reduces reliance on resources and saves energy.
- Landfills: These have been used for disposing of all types of waste as they served as the final destination for materials that cannot be recycled or broken down naturally. Modern landfills employ liners and other containment methods to minimise their environmental impact.
- Incineration: This involves burning waste at high temperatures, which significantly reduces its volume. It also raises concerns about air pollution and the release of harmful pollutants.
- Composting: It offers a natural solution for managing organic waste, such as food scraps and yard trimmings. Through the composting process, these materials are transformed into nutrient-rich fertiliser, which can then be used to enrich soil health.