Mumbai’s civic administration is preparing a major overhaul of how waste is handled across the city, with stricter segregation norms, penalties for non-compliance, and a proposed user fee for large public and private gatherings. The move aligns the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) with the newly notified Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026, marking one of the most consequential shifts in urban waste governance in a decade.
Under the updated national framework, all urban local bodies are required to implement enhanced waste segregation and accountability measures from April 1. For Mumbai, this translates into mandatory four-stream segregation at source — wet, dry, sanitary and domestic hazardous waste — extending beyond bulk generators to event organisers and institutions with high footfall. Urban planners view this as a critical step in reducing landfill dependence while improving public health outcomes in dense cities. A significant change under the new norms is the formal classification of domestic hazardous waste as a separate stream. This category includes used hygiene and healthcare-related absorbents such as diapers, sanitary products and incontinence materials. According to civic officials, these materials will need to be collected separately in designated yellow bins to prevent contamination of recyclable and organic waste streams and reduce risks to sanitation workers.
The BMC is also considering levying a waste management user fee for events attended by more than 100 people. Large weddings, exhibitions, religious gatherings and corporate events are expected to fall under this framework. Officials familiar with the proposal said the intent is to ensure that the environmental cost of waste-intensive events is not borne entirely by the municipal system, particularly as the city struggles with limited landfill capacity. Bulk waste generators — defined locally as premises exceeding 20,000 square metres, consuming large volumes of water or producing substantial daily waste — will face tighter enforcement. The new approach emphasises on-site waste processing and full compliance with segregation rules. Non-adherence could attract financial penalties, reinforcing accountability among residential complexes, educational campuses, hospitality properties and commercial developments.
Despite earlier voluntary programmes, participation in sanitary and special waste collection has remained limited across Mumbai. Civic data indicates that registrations currently represent only a fraction of eligible establishments, highlighting structural gaps in awareness and enforcement. The updated rules are expected to shift waste management from an opt-in model to a compliance-driven system. From a sustainability and urban resilience perspective, experts note that better segregation is essential for scaling waste-to-energy facilities and decentralised processing units. Such infrastructure is increasingly viewed as critical to lowering methane emissions, improving material recovery and advancing Mumbai’s climate resilience goals.
Importantly, while the revised national framework allows for a solid waste tax, the BMC has signalled that it will avoid imposing a citywide levy for now, following earlier public and political resistance. Instead, the focus remains on targeted fees and enforcement mechanisms that link waste generation with responsibility. As Mumbai adapts to the new regime, the success of the transition will depend on enforcement capacity, public cooperation and the integration of waste policy with broader urban infrastructure planning.
BMC Overhauls City Waste Segregation Framework
