Pollution from open waste burning triples in cities during winter: study

GS III – Environment & Ecology

Open waste burning across Indian cities rises sharply in winter, with the average incidence, the quantity of waste burned and the associated emissions as much as three times higher than in summer. The finding comes from a working paper by the World Resources Institute (WRI) India, built on field surveys carried out between 2019 and 2026 in 11 polluted Indian cities whose names have not been disclosed.

The burning is not a major source of citywide particulate pollution, contributing under 1% of total PM2.5 and PM10 emissions in the cities assessed. The contest is over what the finding measures.

Key Findings

• Winter aggravation: Falling temperatures and stagnant atmospheric conditions during the post-monsoon/winter period reduce dispersion of pollutants, worsening exposure.
• Tier-3 cities: Recorded the highest winter incidence of open waste burning — around 49.6 incidents/km²/day.
• Tier-2 cities: Recorded the highest quantities of waste burned, with around 46 incidents/km²/day.
• Tier-1 cities: Recorded around 39.4 incidents/km²/day.
• Poorer neighbourhoods: Burning was substantially higher in lower-income areas. Poorer areas of Tier-2 cities recorded nearly 84 incidents/km²/day during winter.

Challenges to municipal solid waste collection

• Poor Segregation: The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 require households to hand over segregated wet, dry and domestic hazardous waste, and mixed waste continues to reach collection points.
• Collection issue : Informal settlements and peri urban wards often sit outside the contracted collection route, so waste there has no lawful disposal path.
• Inadequate Processing: Waste that is collected still lands on legacy dumpsites because sorting and processing plants are missing or underused. Eg. Delhi’s Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla legacy dumps continue to receive fresh waste, with bio-mining running alongside.
• Weak Enforcement: Open burning of waste is prohibited and carries a spot fine under the 2016 Rules, and prosecution is rare because the offence is momentary and unwitnessed. Conclusion

Way Forward

• Track open-burning incidents at the ward level rather than relying only on citywide pollution figures.
• Extend waste-collection routes to informal and peri-urban settlements.
• Improve source segregation and processing infrastructure.
• Make municipal officials accountable for reducing measured open-burning incidence.
• Prioritise poorer neighbourhoods where inadequate waste services are contributing to higher burning.

Conclusion

Open waste burning should not be viewed merely as a minor contributor to citywide air pollution. Its concentration in poorer neighbourhoods makes it an important municipal service-delivery and environmental justice issue. Tracking burning incidence ward-by-ward can help cities convert the problem into a measurable governance indicator

Mains Questions 

Q. “Open waste burning is not merely an environmental problem but also a reflection of gaps in urban governance and municipal service delivery.” Discuss in the context of rising winter pollution in Indian cities.