Maarg Manthan · Topic 14.8

Hazardous Waste: Characteristics and the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Trans-Boundary Movement) Rules, 2016

Environment & Ecology › Waste Management · Topic 14.8

Hazardous waste is waste that, because of its quantity, concentration or physical, chemical or infectious characteristics, can cause danger to health or the environment. The four classic characteristics are ignitability (easily catches fire), corrosivity (very acidic or alkaline), reactivity (unstable, explosive or gives toxic gases) and toxicity (poisons that may leach into water or enter food chains); infectious waste is often added. Sources include chemical, pesticide, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, metal plating, tannery, battery and paint industries, oil refineries and ship breaking. In India, the Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Trans-boundary Movement) Rules, 2016, notified on 4 April 2016 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, replaced the 2008 rules. They cover hazardous wastes listed by process and by concentration, and also 'other wastes' such as waste tyres, used electronic items and paper waste; they promote reuse, recycling and co-processing; require authorisation of generators and facilities; use a manifest system to track waste from source to disposal; set up Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs); and regulate import and export under the Basel Convention.

5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Environment & Ecology · Waste Management

At a Glance

Characteristics Ignitable, corrosive, reactive, toxic
Rules Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016
Replaced 2008 rules
Facility TSDF
Treaty Basel Convention
Exam link UPSC Prelims, Environment & Ecology: Waste Management

Where Does It Fit?

This topic completes the special wastes by covering industrial hazardous waste. It leads to the last topic of the macro on sewage treatment and other waste treatment technologies. Previous topic: Biomedical Waste: Hazards and the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016. Next topic: Sewage Treatment Methods and Other Waste Treatment Technologies.

What Are the Characteristics and Rules for Hazardous Waste?

Aspect	Details
Ignitability	Easily catches fire, like solvents, oils and some paints
Corrosivity	Strong acids and alkalis that eat through metals and tissue
Reactivity	Unstable or explosive, or releases toxic gases on mixing with water or acids
Toxicity	Contains poisons such as heavy metals, pesticides and cyanide that harm health or leach into water
2016 Rules	Notified 4 April 2016; replaced the 2008 rules; cover hazardous and other wastes and their trans-boundary movement
Manifest system	A paper or electronic record that follows waste from generator to transporter to disposal facility
TSDF	Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility, an engineered site that treats and secures hazardous waste in a secure landfill or incinerator

What Are Key Features and International Links?

Generators’ duties: minimise waste, store safely, get authorisation and send waste only to authorised facilities
Authorisation: from state pollution control boards
Resource recovery: recycling and co-processing in cement kilns are preferred to disposal
Other wastes: waste tyres, paper, used electronics and others that can be recycled need controls on import
Import and export: needs permission and follows Basel Convention procedure
Ban on import: of hazardous wastes for dumping is prohibited
Basel Convention: 1989 treaty on trans-boundary movement of hazardous wastes; India is a party
Liability: the occupier is responsible for damage and clean-up under polluter pays

What Else Should You Remember?

Used oil: must go to registered recyclers
Lead acid batteries: regulated under separate Battery Rules but recycled with care
Spent solvents: recovered by distillation
Hazardous waste per year: India generates several million tonnes of hazardous waste a year
TSDF numbers: there are dozens of operating TSDFs, many in Gujarat and Maharashtra
Secure landfill: has double liners, leachate collection and monitoring
Incineration: for organic hazardous waste with emission control
Co-processing: use of waste as fuel or raw material in cement kilns
Stabilisation and solidification: binding hazardous waste in cement to reduce leaching
Illegal dumping: has contaminated land and groundwater in industrial areas
Love Canal: a US case of toxic waste burial that led to the Superfund law
Bhopal site: toxic waste at the old Union Carbide plant has long been an issue
Basel Convention: adopted 1989, in force 1992; India joined in 1992
Basel Ban Amendment: bans export of hazardous waste from rich to poor countries; check India’s current status
Rotterdam Convention: prior consent for trade in hazardous chemicals
Stockholm Convention: persistent organic pollutants
Ship breaking: Alang in Gujarat is a major ship-breaking yard and handles asbestos and oil wastes
Ship Recycling Act, 2019: India’s law for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling
Hong Kong Convention: international convention on ship recycling; India ratified it in 2019
Link to previous: see Biomedical Waste: Hazards and the Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016
Link to next: see Sewage Treatment Methods and Other Waste Treatment Technologies
Link to chemicals: see Respiratory Irritants and Toxic Chemicals in Air Pollution
Caution: schedules, lists and numbers of facilities change, so check CPCB and MoEFCC pages
Exam hint: learn the four characteristics, the 2016 rules and the Basel Convention facts
Generator duty: a generator must identify, label, store and track its waste, and keep records of quantity and disposal
Transport rules: hazardous waste must move in covered, labelled vehicles with the manifest and emergency information
Industrial clusters: Vapi, Ankleshwar and Dahej in Gujarat and other clusters produce large quantities of hazardous waste
Waste minimisation: process changes and cleaner production lower the quantity of hazardous waste produced
Contaminated sites: old dumps need clean-up by the polluter or by the state where no owner can be found

Why Does It Matter for the Exam?

Four traits: Ignitable, corrosive, reactive, toxic
Rules: 2016
Tracking: Manifest
Current affairs link: Basel and ship recycling
Common errors: confusing TSDF with CBWTF

As an analytical point, hazardous waste is best dealt with by cutting its generation and recovering it as a resource. When it must be disposed of, tracking from cradle to grave and secure facilities prevent long-term contamination that is expensive to repair.

Why Is This Topic Important?

Traits Four
Track Manifest
Treat TSDF

What Came Next?

The next topic covers sewage treatment methods and other waste treatment technologies. Next topic: Sewage Treatment Methods and Other Waste Treatment Technologies.

Key People and Terms

Hazardous waste Dangerous waste
TSDF Treatment storage disposal facility
Manifest Waste tracking record
Basel Convention Waste movement treaty
Co-processing Using waste in kilns
Occupier Person in charge

Exam Corner

Points to Remember

Four traits: ignitable, corrosive, reactive, toxic.
Rules: 4 April 2016.
Replaced the 2008 rules.
Tracking: manifest.
Treaty: Basel 1989.

Do Not Confuse With

TSDF and CBWTF Hazardous waste site versus biomedical waste hub
Hazardous and other wastes Dangerous versus recyclable regulated wastes
Basel and Rotterdam Waste versus chemical trade conventions

Memory Hook

Burn, bite, blow or poison; manifest follows, TSDF keeps.

Mains Angle

Questions ask for characteristics and rules. These points help.

Traits Four
Rules Tracking
Global Basel

A Question You May Face

An original practice question, not a past paper question.

“Explain the characteristics of hazardous waste and the main features of the Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016.”

How to Answer

Define Traits.
Sources Industry.
Rules Manifest, TSDF.
Global Basel.

GS Relevance

Prelims: characteristics, rules, TSDF, Basel. GS Paper 3: hazardous waste management.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the characteristics of hazardous waste?

Hazardous waste is identified by four main characteristics: ignitability, meaning it catches fire easily; corrosivity, meaning it is strongly acidic or alkaline; reactivity, meaning it is unstable, explosive or gives toxic gases; and toxicity, meaning it contains poisons that harm health or the environment. Infectious waste is also often classed as hazardous.

What are the Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016?

These are rules notified on 4 April 2016 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, replacing the 2008 rules. They regulate the generation, storage, transport, treatment, import and export of hazardous wastes and other wastes such as waste tyres and used electronics, promote recycling and co-processing and set a manifest system to track waste.

What is a TSDF?

A Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility is an engineered facility for the safe handling of hazardous waste from many industries. It may include physical and chemical treatment, incineration and a secure landfill with liners and leachate collection. Waste is sent to it under the manifest system, and it must be authorised and monitored by pollution control boards.

What is the Basel Convention?

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was adopted in 1989 and came into force in 1992. It aims to reduce movement of hazardous waste between countries, requires prior informed consent for trade, and promotes environmentally sound management. India joined it in 1992.

What is the manifest system for hazardous waste?

The manifest system is a record, now often electronic, that accompanies hazardous waste from the generator through the transporter to the treatment or disposal facility. Each party signs it, so authorities can verify that waste reached an authorised site and was not dumped illegally. It follows the cradle-to-grave principle.

PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis

1 Reactivity is a characteristic of hazardous waste.

True

With ignitability, corrosivity, toxicity.

2 The Hazardous Waste Rules were notified in 2016.

True

On 4 April 2016.

3 A TSDF handles biomedical waste only.

False

It handles hazardous industrial waste.

4 India has not joined the Basel Convention.