Schedules I explained: this guide covers what it means, who it applies to, the step-by-step process, documents required, fees, due dates and penalties in India — so you can stay compliant with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
The four Schedules of the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2026 carry the technical content: implementation timelines by population (Schedule I), specifications for sanitary landfills (Schedule II), standards for composting, biogas, leachate and incineration (Schedule III) and fire prevention at dumpsites (Schedule IV). Six forms support authorisation, annual reporting and accident reports.
These Rules are current as amended up to their notification on 27 January 2026 (S.O. 388(E), in force 1 April 2026); no amendment found to 3 October 2026. Later amendments, CPCB guidelines and notifications should be checked. If you are planning, authorising or auditing a facility and need the Schedule requirements tied to your documents, our compliance documentation team can help.
Schedule I gives timelines of 18, 24 and 36 months from the Rules coming into effect, by population. Schedule II sets landfill site, design, operation and post-care criteria, including 15 years of post-closure care. Schedule III sets standards for composting, compressed biogas, leachate and incineration. Schedule IV sets fire prevention at dumpsites. Forms I to VI cover authorisation, annual reports and accidents.
Schedule I: timelines
Schedule I applies to the Material Recovery Facility, central control room and similar duties named in rules 3(q), 14(3), 23(1)(xvi), 24(1)(x), 39(34) and 40(2)(vi), (vii), (xiii) and (xix):
| Area | Population | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Urban | Million plus cities | Eighteen months from the date the Rules come into effect |
| Urban | 5-10 lakh | Twenty four months |
| Urban | All urban areas | Thirty six months |
| Rural | 20000 and above | Eighteen months |
| Rural | 10000-20000 | Twenty four months |
| Rural | Up to 10000 | Thirty six months |
The Rules came into effect on 1 April 2026; the dates are not computed here.
Schedule II: sanitary landfills
| Part | Topic | Highlights as printed |
|---|---|---|
| A | Site selection | Landfill large enough to last at least 20-25 years with cells in phases; 100 meter from a river, 200 meter from a pond, 200 meter from highways, habitations, public parks and water supply wells, and 20 km from airports or airbases (10 to 20 km with no objection from the aviation authority or air force in a special case); no landfill in flood plains of the last hundred years, coastal regulation zone, wetland, critical habitat or eco-fragile areas; a buffer zone around facilities exceeding five tonnes per day; existing landfills used more than five years to be improved to the specifications |
| B | Facilities | Fencing and gate, paved roads, waste inspection and record keeping, weigh bridge, fire protection, utilities, worker safety, vehicle washing with treated wastewater |
| C | Operation and closure | Compaction in thin layers; daily cover of minimum 10 cm; intermediate cover of 40-65 cm before monsoon; final cover with 60 cm barrier layer (permeability coefficient below 1 x 10-7 cm/sec), 15 cm drainage and 45 cm vegetative layer |
| D | Pollution prevention | Storm water diversion; liner of composite barrier with 1.5 mm HDPE geo-membrane over 90 cm of soil for landfills receiving residues, mixed waste or contaminated waste; water table at least two meter below the barrier; leachate collection and treatment, never released into the open environment |
| E | Water quality | Baseline groundwater data; monitoring within 50 meter of the periphery across seasons; drinking water limits as the monitoring reference |
| F | Air quality | Landfill gas control; methane not above 25 per cent of the lower explosive limit; use or flaring of gas |
| G | Plantation | Non-edible, drought-resistant plants with roots not penetrating more than 30 cm; green belts |
| H | Post-care | At least fifteen years of post-closure care; reuse for settlement only after emissions and soil stability are verified |
| I, J | Hilly and island areas; old dumps | Location-specific disposal methods, regional landfills in plains; closure and rehabilitation of full dumps by biomining and processing |
Schedule II is used by rule 14 on landfills and by rule 7(1)(b); see rules 11 to 14.
Schedule III: processing and treatment standards
- A. Composting. Covered storage for incoming waste, odour and pest precautions, leachate collection, impermeable windrow base (concrete or compacted clay of 50 cm), air monitoring, recirculation of leachate, and compost meeting the Fertilizer Control Order. A compost quality table gives limits for arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel and zinc and parameters such as C/N ratio, pH, moisture, bulk density, organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphate and potassium for organic compost and phosphate rich organic manure; compost exceeding the limits shall not be used for food crops.
- B. Compressed biogas and household bio-digesters. CPCB environmental guidelines apply, and FOM and LFOM production must conform to the notifications named in the Schedule or the Fertilizer Control Order.
- C. Treated leachate. Limits by mode of disposal, inland surface water, public sewers or land, for suspended solids, pH, ammoniacal nitrogen, BOD, COD and metals and other parameters; the receiving water body's dilution is to be considered.
- D. Incineration. Emission standards for particulates, HCl, SO2, CO, total organic carbon, HF, NOx, dioxins and furans and metals, with notes: waste of less than 1500 Kcal/kg shall not be fed into the boiler or incinerator, chlorinated plastics shall not be incinerated, ash exceeding toxic metal limits goes to a hazardous waste facility, twin chamber incinerators achieve 950 degrees Celsius with residence time not less than two seconds, and values are corrected to 11% oxygen on a dry basis.
The numbers are printed in full in the Schedule; an operator should work from the table itself.
Schedule IV: fire prevention at dumpsites
Measures cover an on-site emergency plan (risk assessment by the State Urban Development department and integration with district disaster plans), disposal controls (no fresh waste where bioremediation is under way; no industrial waste, e-waste or lithium batteries dumped), landfill gas and temperature monitoring, fire extinguishing arrangements (sand or chemical media, avoidance of water), and worker health, safety, training, mock drills and quarterly fire safety and hazardous emissions audits.
The forms
| Form | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Form I | Application for authorisation under the Rules for processing, recycling, treatment and disposal of solid waste, to the State Board (rules 7(f), 13(3), 39(25)) |
| Form II | Format for issue of authorisation by the State Board |
| Form III | Annual report by the operator of a facility to the local body |
| Form IV | Annual report on solid waste management by the local body |
| Form V | Annual report by the State Board or Committee to the CPCB |
| Form VI | Accident reporting by the officer in charge of a facility |
Who is affected
Local bodies and Panchayats on timelines; landfill and processing operators on Schedules II and III; dumpsite managers on Schedule IV; and everyone applying for authorisation or filing returns on the forms.
Example
Sagar Biogas Private Limited plans a compost and biogas plant. It selects a site that meets the Schedule II distance criteria where a landfill is attached, designs the compost windrow area with a concrete base and lined drains, tests its compost against the Schedule III table and applies in Form I through the local body to the State Board. Its annual report goes to the local body in Form III.
Need help matching a project to the Schedules?
The Schedules are technical, but the application and audit file is documentary. Our compliance documentation team can help you build a Schedule-by-Schedule compliance matrix for authorisation and audit.
Key takeaways
- Schedule I timelines are 18, 24 and 36 months by population from the date the Rules came into effect.
- Schedule II covers site, design, operation, closure and post-care of sanitary landfills, with 15 years of post-closure monitoring.
- Schedule III sets standards for compost, biogas, treated leachate and incineration.
- Schedule IV addresses dumpsite fire prevention and emergency planning.
- Forms I to VI cover authorisation, three annual reports and accident reporting.
Read next
- Rules 38 to 41: CPCB, local bodies and State Boards
- Rules 11 to 14: RDF, hilly areas, WtE and landfills
- Rules 7 to 10: facilities, MRFs and EBWGR certificates
- Licenses and registrations required for a waste management company
Disclaimer: Based on the environment rules, guidelines and notifications named above as published in the Gazette of India, read with every amendment notified up to 3 October 2026 that the article names (consolidated reading texts from the CPCB 2021 compilation and the Goa State Pollution Control Board 2025 compilation were checked against the amending notifications), as consulted on 3 October 2026. Later amendments, CPCB guidelines, State Board orders and fees should be checked. This article is general information, not legal advice; check the official text before acting.