After 40 years, the toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal, responsible for the 1984 gas tragedy, has finally been moved for disposal. On January 2, 2025, 337 metric tonnes of hazardous waste was transported to Pithampur in Dhar district, 250 km away, under tight security. The waste, including remnants of pesticides and chemicals used in MIC production, will be incinerated at a Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Facility (TSDF) over three to nine months. The Madhya Pradesh High Court had set a four-week deadline for the disposal, prompting this action. Despite protests from locals fearing environmental impact, authorities assure that all safety measures, including a four-layer filtration process, will be followed.

Prayagraj Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched the state's first Bio-CNG plant in Naini, aiming to convert 200 tonnes of wet waste daily into 21,500 kg of Bio-CNG and 209 tonnes of organic manure. This initiative, part of the Prayagraj RNG (Renewable Natural Gas) project, is expected to generate revenue of Rs 53 lakh annually and reduce carbon emissions by 56,700 tonnes each year. The plant, built on 12.49 acres, will operate on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model and provide employment to 200 people. The project aligns with the "Waste-to-Wealth" concept, turning organic waste into valuable resources. The Bio-CNG produced will be supplied to industrial and retail customers in Uttar Pradesh.

Noida Authority has approved the construction of two solid waste processing plants to manage 80 tonnes of daily waste. Each plant will process 25 tonnes of wet waste, converting it into biogas and fertilizer, while the remaining 15 tonnes of dry waste will be recycled. The plants will be operated by an external agency under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with the agency bearing all costs and generating revenue through user fees and sale of byproducts. The operational agreement spans 15 years, with a possible three-year extension based on performance. This initiative is part of Noida's broader environmental strategy to reduce its waste footprint, as the city generates around 800 tonnes of waste daily. The Authority is also planning a waste-to-energy plant at the Astauli landfill site.

Indore's Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport has become the first airport in India to achieve zero-waste status. The airport's innovative waste management system, built on the 4R strategy (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Restore), processes 750 kg of daily waste on-site. Organic waste is converted into high-quality compost for landscaping, while dry waste is meticulously sorted into 10 categories for recycling. The project, inaugurated by Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, aims to minimize environmental impact and set a new standard for sustainable waste management in aviation. The initiative is a collaboration between IndiGoReach, the Airports Authority of India (AAI), and the AAS Foundation. Income from compost and recycled materials will fund green workers' salaries from the third year onwards, ensuring long-term viability.

The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the state government to draft a comprehensive welfare scheme for garbage collectors. This decision follows a survey by the State Legal Services Authority (SLSA), which revealed that garbage collectors are not fully benefiting from government schemes. The court emphasized the importance of developing these workers' children, who often continue in the same occupation. The state government has been given until January 2, 2025, to submit a report on the proposed welfare scheme. The SLSA report highlighted that many garbage collectors possess ration cards, Aadhaar cards, and voter ID cards, yet still face challenges in accessing government benefits.

The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has decided to issue guidelines for proper waste disposal by meat shops. The new rules require chicken and mutton shops to dispose of waste water in septic tanks or soak pits. For market complexes with more than 10 shops, effluents must be connected to a sewer system after primary treatment or treated collectively at an effluent treatment plant. Waste from chicken cutting must be safely disposed of through authorized waste collection agencies or rendering plants. The guidelines aim to address complaints about improper waste disposal and ensure environmental safety.

Kerala officials have initiated a cleanup operation in Tirunelveli district to remove biomedical waste illegally dumped in six villages. Over 50 officials from Kerala, led by Thiruvananthapuram Assistant Collector Sakshi Mohan, arrived with 16 trucks to transport the waste back to Kerala. Tamil Nadu police and revenue teams assisted in the operation, which was ordered by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) following media attention and local complaints. The waste, including syringes and blood samples, was transported from a regional cancer center and a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. The operation involves three agencies: Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Clean Kerala, and the Kerala Pollution Control Board. The cleared sites will be disinfected, and investigations are ongoing to identify other culprits involved in the illegal dumping.

Experts have proposed a circularity plan for seven key sectors in India to reduce waste and promote sustainability. The plan targets solar panels, batteries, steel, construction and demolition, agricultural waste, wastewater, and municipal solid waste. By adopting circular economy principles, the plan aims to minimize waste, maximize resource efficiency, and reduce environmental impact. For instance, improving product design and recycling practices in the solar sector could help manage the projected increase in solar waste, which is expected to reach 19 million tonnes by 2050. Similarly, recycling batteries and steel can lower raw material procurement costs and reduce dependence on critical minerals. The plan emphasizes collaboration among government, industry, and civil society to effectively implement these strategies.

The Indian government has introduced the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2024, set to take effect on October 1, 2025, aiming to enhance waste management across urban and rural areas. These rules empower sanitation workers to impose fines on individuals who fail to segregate waste and permit them to refuse collection of unsegregated waste. Large establishments, including hotels, malls, residential complexes, and educational institutions, are mandated to segregate waste at the source and manage biodegradable waste through composting or bio-methanation on their premises. Additionally, gram panchayats are tasked with preventing the burning of agricultural waste and are authorized to levy penalties on offenders. The rules also introduce environmental compensation based on the 'polluter pays' principle for non-compliance, detailing the responsibilities of waste generators and local bodies to promote sustainable waste management practices nationwide.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has launched a pilot project to manage the city's 200–220 tons of daily untreated waste, which constitutes 10–15% of the total waste generated. This initiative involves establishing small-scale gas-generation facilities, with the first "Incinerate Reject Treatment Plant" set to be constructed on approximately 0.12 acres in Uruli Devachi, backed by a ₹7.38 crore budget. These compact plants offer several benefits: reduced land requirements, lower setup and operational costs, on-site gas production to power the facilities, and decreased transportation expenses due to proximity to existing waste-processing sites. Sandeep Kadam, Deputy Commissioner of the Solid Waste Management Department, emphasized that these localized projects aim to alleviate logistical and financial burdens associated with managing rejected waste, promoting more efficient waste management practices in Pune.

Nagpur has introduced India's first container-based miniature waste-to-energy (WTE) unit utilizing dry fermentation technology. Developed through a collaboration between the KEVA Group and WTT, this mobile unit was inaugurated by KEVA Group Chairman Ramesh Vaze, with officials from the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the Netherlands Consulate in attendance. The project serves as a proof-of-concept, demonstrating the efficiency of dry fermentation in converting solid waste into energy, offering better returns on investment compared to traditional WTE plants. The successful implementation of this mobile unit lays the foundation for a larger facility capable of managing all solid waste generated by the NMC. This initiative marks a significant advancement in sustainable waste management, aiming to inspire similar efforts in other cities and promote global adoption of advanced WTE technologies.

The 25th Hornbill Festival in Nagaland has adopted a zero-waste and single-use plastic (SUP)-free approach, setting a precedent for eco-friendly events in India. With daily attendance exceeding 200,000 visitors, the festival implemented several measures to minimize environmental impact. Single-use plastics were banned, with vendors utilizing sustainable alternatives like bamboo straws and biodegradable cutlery. A comprehensive waste management system was established, featuring waste segregation at the source with labelled bins for wet, dry, and recyclable waste, and on-site composting units for wet waste. Food stalls employed reusable or compostable utensils, and water refilling stations were installed to discourage plastic bottle usage. Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns educated attendees on sustainable practices. These initiatives prevented approximately 1 million SUP items over the 10-day event, aligning with global climate goals and promoting a circular economy.