Why are hazardous-waste imports for disposal prohibited under India’s Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules of 2016?

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radioactive waste — hazardous-waste management Employees loading transuranic waste into a shipping container at Vallecitos Nuclear Center, a nuclear research facility in Alameda county, California.

Under India’s Hazardous and Other Wastes Rules, 2016, the importation of hazardous waste specifically for disposal is prohibited to prevent the country from becoming a dumping ground for dangerous materials generated elsewhere. This policy aligns with the Basel Convention, an international treaty designed to curb the transboundary movement of hazardous waste and protect human health and the environment from the risks associated with toxic, reactive, flammable, or corrosive substances.1

By banning imports intended solely for disposal, India ensures that it does not bear the environmental and health burdens of foreign waste. Imports are permitted only when the materials are intended for recycling, recovery, reuse, or utilization, and even then, such activities are strictly regulated and subject to official authorization to ensure they are managed in an environmentally sound manner.1