Solid Waste & Landfills
India generates 62 million tonnes of waste annually. Only 43% is collected and less than 20% is treated.
Main Problems
Massive Waste Generation: India generates 62 million tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, increasing by 5% every year
Low Processing & Treatment Rate: Only 43% of collected municipal waste is processed; less than 20% undergoes scientific recycling
Legacy Landfill Hazards: Over 3,150 legacy dumpsites (like Ghazipur, Deonar) contain 240M tonnes of untreated waste polluting groundwater
Source Segregation Deficit: Less than 35% of urban households practice mandatory wet and dry waste segregation at source
Single-Use Plastic Leakage: Despite 2022 ban, over 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste enter drainage networks and oceans annually
Informal Waste Picker Exclusion: 1.5 million informal ragpickers operate without formal health insurance, safety gear, or fair wages
E-Waste Surge: India generates 3.2 million tonnes of e-waste annually; over 90% is processed in unsafe informal scrap markets
Bio-Medical Waste Mismanagement: Over 25% of healthcare facilities fail to segregate bio-medical waste according to CPCB norms
Current Status
Latest Update
CAG report reveals allocated funds for Solid Waste & Landfills remain under-utilized. Ministry requests implementation extension.
June 2026