Previous Year Question
As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in India, which one of the following statements is correct?
Waste generator has to segregate waste into five categories
The rules are applicable to notified urban local bodies, notified towns and all industrial townships only
The rules provide for exact and elaborate criteria for the identification of sites for landfills and waste processing facilities
It is mandatory on the part of waste generator that the waste generated in one district cannot be moved to another district
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 were notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
These Rules replaced the Municipal Solid Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000.
According to the Rules, a waste generator must segregate waste into three separate streams—biodegradable, non-biodegradable and domestic hazardous waste.
Therefore, option (a), which requires segregation into five categories, is not correct.
The scope of the Rules is not confined only to notified urban local bodies, towns and industrial townships.
They apply to several areas, including census towns, notified areas, industrial townships, railways, airports, ports, defence establishments, Special Economic Zones and places of pilgrimage.
Therefore, the word ‘only’ used in option (b) makes it incorrect.
The Rules provide detailed criteria for selecting locations for waste-processing facilities and sanitary landfills. Therefore, option (c) is correct.
Site selection considers factors such as safe distance from habitations, water bodies, forest areas, floodplains, groundwater and airports.
A landfill must be designed to prevent contamination of soil and groundwater by leachate.
No universal prohibition has been imposed on transporting waste from one district to another.
Regional or shared processing and landfill facilities may serve the requirements of more than one urban local body. Therefore, option (d) is not correct.
The Rules prioritize segregation at source, collection, reuse, recycling, composting and scientific disposal of waste.
Landfills should primarily be used for residual waste that cannot be recycled or processed.