The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has issued the Environment (Construction and Demolition) Waste Management Rules, 2025, under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. These rules, published on 2nd April, 2025, provide regulations for the environmentally sound management of construction and demolition waste and will be effective from 1st April, 2026.

Key Highlights:

1. Application & Scope
2. Applies to all construction, demolition, remodelling, renovation, and repair activities.
3. These rules shall not apply to the waste categories or streams covered under –
4. the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 (33 of 1962) and the rules made thereunder;
5. the defence projects, and other projects of a strategic nature;

• the Waste generated due to natural disasters or by the act of war; and

1. Waste covered in any other sector specific waste management rules.

2. Responsibilities:
3. The following entities must register:
4. Producers
5. Operators of Intermediate Waste Storage Facilities

• Recyclers

1. Collection points established by local or development authorities

3. Compliance of Extended Producer Responsibility Targets
4. Local or development authorities must ensure EPR target compliance through a regulated waste management plan, including recycling requirements in project approvals.
5. Debris like cement, bricks, and tiles count toward EPR targets, while resalable items (iron, wood, plastic, glass) are excluded and managed under other rules.

• Until recycling units are functional, authorities must set up and register Intermediate Waste Storage Facilities (IWSFs). Producers must deposit waste at a processing facility or, if unavailable, at an IWSF. For in-situ processing, any remaining waste must be sent to a processing facility.

4. Generation of Extended Producer Responsibility Certificate

1. CPCB shall generate EPR certificates via the online portal in favour of registered recyclers based on mode of recycling and applicable weightage:

1. The formula to calculate the quantity of waste eligible for an extended producer responsibility (EPR) certificate is: QEPR = QP × CF × WP,
   where:

QEPR = Quantity eligible for EPR certificate

QP = Quantity of processed product

CF = Conversion factor (as determined by CPCB)

WP = Weightage based on processing mode

• EPR certificates are valid for 3 years from the end of the financial year of generation carry unique IDs and will be issued in denominations of 100, 200, 500, and 1000 tonnes.

5. Transaction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Certificates
6. Producers can purchase EPR certificates to cover their current year’s liability, carryover from previous years, and an additional 5% buffer of the current year’s liability.
7. These certificates are automatically adjusted prioritizing older liabilities and extinguished post-adjustment.

• All certificate details and transactions must be recorded and submitted on the online portal.

1. The Central Government may also set up EPR trading platforms, guided by CPCB. The Central Board will regulate certificate prices, setting a maximum limit at 100% and a minimum limit at 30% of the applicable environmental compensation.

6. Utilisation of Processed Waste and Monitoring
7. Projects with built-up area ≥ 20,000 m² and road construction must use processed C&D waste as per targets in Second & Third Schedule.
8. Waste utilization must be included in project approvals and regulated by an approved plan.

• The quantity of processed waste used will be calculated as a percentage of total construction material, excluding certain materials like wood and metal.

1. Under the First Schedule, reconstruction and demolition projects must recycle 25% of the previous year’s waste in 2025-26, increasing to 50% in 2026-27, 75% in 2027-28, and 100% from 2028-29 onwards.
2. The Second Schedule sets minimum targets for using recycled materials in construction: 5% in 2026-27, rising to 25% from 2030-31 onwards.
3. As per the Third Schedule, road construction projects must use 5% recycled waste in 2026-28, 10% in 2028-30, and 15% from 2030-31 onwards. Materials can be used in embankments, pavements, and concrete works, with exemptions allowed in special cases.

7. Responsibilities of the Waste Generator and Producer
8. Waste generators must segregate and deposit C&D waste at designated facilities and cooperate with local authorities as per Rule 4.
9. Producers are responsible for managing all C&D waste from their projects, including when work is contracted out. In such cases, they must ensure safe disposal and contractor compliance with the Rules.

8. Responsibilities of Contractors, Service Providers, and Authorised Agencies
9. Agencies must assist waste generators in collecting waste from the source to processing facilities and support compliance with EPR targets.
10. They should coordinate with stakeholders, follow sustainable construction practices (IS 15883:2021), and adhere to SOPs issued by authorities. Additionally, they must develop infrastructure, train workers, and promote sound waste management.
11. Responsibilities of Operators of Intermediate Waste Storage Facilities or Collection Points
12. Operators must coordinate with stakeholders for waste management, obtain approval before disposing in low-lying areas, and follow SOPs from pollution control boards.
13. They are required to submit biannual and annual data on the online portal.

• If involved in collection and transportation, also comply with responsibilities of authorised agencies.

10. Responsibilities of Recyclers
11. Recyclers must coordinate with stakeholders for waste handling, obtain approval for disposal in low-lying areas, and follow SOPs by pollution boards.
12. They must ensure recycled products meet quality standards, dispose of non-recyclables as per CPCB norms, and submit required data and returns on the portal.
13. Responsibilities of the Central Government
14. All ministries, departments, and organisations under Central Government must comply with these rules in construction projects by integrating them into tenders and related documents.
15. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is tasked with updating CPWD rates, sensitising urban bodies, aligning bye-laws, and evaluating authority performance.

• Other ministries like Road Transport, Rural Development, and Jal Shakti are responsible for promoting waste use in infrastructure and raising rural awareness.

1. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry shall take measures to facilitate the listing of processed waste articles on Government E-marketplace.
2. Responsibilities of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
3. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) is responsible for setting up and maintaining the online portal within six months of notification, monitoring EPR and waste utilisation frameworks, issuing related certificates, and developing SOPs for various waste management processes.
4. It must also coordinate implementation with agencies, enforce rules through inspections, ensure data flow via digital forms, submit annual reports to the Central Government, and lead training, awareness campaigns, and stakeholder integration.
5. Responsibilities of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Indian Roads Congress (IRC)

1. BIS is responsible for developing codes of practice and standards for the use of recycled construction and demolition (C&D) materials and products in construction activities.
2. IRC shall specifically formulate standards and practices for the use of such materials in road construction projects.

14. Responsibilities of State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, Local/Development Authorities, and State Pollution Control Boards/Committees

1. Urban Development and Municipal Administration Department of the State/UT:
2. Develop and implement C&D waste management policy, issue directives for waste handling, and ensure that departments and organisations under their control align tenders, EOIs, RFPs, etc., with these rules.
3. Support local authorities in identifying and setting up intermediate waste storage and processing facilities on a local, regional, or cluster basis within one year of notification of these rules, and monitor their implementation.

• They must guide agencies in assessing waste, approving plans, enforcing compliance, integrating processed waste materials in the state-specific Schedule of Rates, promoting worker registration, skill development, health and safety, and aligning local building byelaws with the Rules.

1. Local Authority or Development Authority:
2. Urban Local Bodies must ensure timely approval of waste management plans, monitor compliance, and report violations to the State Pollution Control Board.
3. They are responsible for setting up processing and storage facilities within a year, creating collection points, and ensuring waste reaches authorised recyclers.

• They must support entities in transport, storage, and in-situ recycling, manage legacy waste sites, implement offtake plans if needed, and submit required data in the prescribed format.
• State/UT Pollution Control Board or Committee:

1. Responsible for enforcing the C&D Waste Management Rules and implementing the waste utilisation framework for road construction and related applications.
2. Monitor EPR and waste utilisation obligations, coordinate with CPCB and local bodies, maintain waste inventories (including legacy waste), and take action on violations, including levying environmental compensation.

• Conduct gap analyses to assess processing needs, carry out training and awareness programs, and submit annual reports to CPCB in the prescribed format.

15. Procedure for Waste and Processed Waste Storage
16. Local authorities must set up collection points for transferring waste to processing or storage facilities. Intermediate storage facilities should be established where processing units are unavailable or lack capacity.
17. Temporary storage is permitted for 120 days, extendable to 180 days with approval.

• All facilities must follow CPCB guidelines and SOPs, and implement measures to prevent pollution, public nuisance, and unscientific disposal.
  16. Environmental Compensation

1. Entities violating the rules, such as improper disposal or failure to meet EPR targets, must pay environmental compensation after a hearing.
2. Refunds are possible if compliance is achieved within 1 to 3 years, ranging from 85% to 30%; no refund is given after 3 years.

• Providing false information may lead to registration cancellation after three offenses.

1. Collected funds will be used for waste management, R&D, recycler support, and aiding local bodies, under the Steering Committee’s oversight with MoEFCC approval.