Centre for Science and Environment masthead Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Donate

Cse In News

Cse In News

The debris solution: How can recycling Delhi’s construction waste clean the air?

With air pollution levels hovering between the ‘poor’ and ‘severe’ categories, Delhi has been gasping for breath. The air quality has continued to deteriorate, with the capital recording an AQI of 372 on December 2nd, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. So, is the winter mist coupled with the vehicular pollution only to blame? The reality is more complex than that. Dust from construction activity and malba or construction and demolition (C&D) waste contribute significantly to air pollution in Delhi. Moreover, managing this waste is a huge challenge for the city’s civic administration, and the majority of C&D waste ends up in the landfill. India generates around 150 million tonnes of C&D waste annually, accounting for 35% to 40% of total waste generated. And only 1% of this is managed and recycled, says a 2020 study by the Centre for Science and Environment.

From policy to practice: Evaluating the effectiveness of India’s EPR regulations

The global production of 460 million tonnes of plastic annually, with 20 million leaking into the environment, is expected to grow sharply by 2040, causing climate change and loss of biodiversity, and ecosystems. With the release of 9.3 million tonnes of global plastic emissions, India has emerged as the largest plastic polluter annually, nearly one-fifth of the global plastic emissions. However, India’s per-capita plastic waste generation is 7.6 kg annually, far below the global average of 31.9 kg. Despite low per-capita consumption, there is an inadequate collection and recycling infrastructure in India, and statistics are often overlooked. Usually, plastic waste generated is mismanaged, either dumped, burned, or processed informally. In this scenario, the effective implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) becomes critical. Embedded in the Plastic Waste Management Rules (2016, amended in 2022), EPR requires producers, importers, and brand owners (PIBOs) to manage the full lifecycle of their products, including post-consumer waste. While digital tracking systems and higher recycling targets indicate progress, weak enforcement, patchy infrastructure, and the exclusion of key stakeholders limit the system’s effectiveness. India’s EPR implementation paints a mixed picture, with expanding digital systems and rising targets on the one hand, and enforcement gaps and the exclusion of important stakeholders on the other hand. Global best practices and India’s evolving framework Globally, EPR has proven to be a significant policy reform and supports several SDGs. EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulations require all packaging to be recyclable by 20,30, with recyclability linked to EPR fees,ees including uniform design. Japan enforces minimum recycling rates under the Home Appliance Recycling Law, while South Korea requires 75% recycling rates with government-backed infrastructure. India has integrated some of its into its own framework. All PIBOs and recyclers of plastics, e-waste, tires, batteries, and spent oil must register digitally with CPCB. Annual recycling targets such as 30-50% for all plastics in FY 2024–25, increasing to 70% the following year, have already been set. A centralized digital EPR portal facilitating registration, QR code traceability, and certificate-based trading is being managed by CPCB for monitoring compliance with the PMWR. Violation of these rules may result in the imposition of fines ranging from ₹2,900 to ₹7,900 per tonne and possible deregistration. Key implementation challenges and structural gaps Despite a strong legal foundation, the EPR system in India faces enforcement lapses. One of them is the misuse of the EPR certificate system, highlighted by a 2024 report of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) of 700,000 certificates, equating to 38 times the verified processing capacity of recyclers. Many of the processors, including those in inclusion plants, have made exaggerated claims, negatively impacting the integrity of the system and certificate pricing. While importers, who make up only 9% of plastic packaging, account for 83% of registrations, many PIBOs, particularly large producers, accounting for 65% of plastic packaging, continue to be unregistered. In Delhi, close to 11,000 tonnes of municipal waste is generated each day, with nearly 2,500 tonnes of plastic waste, yet formal processing capacity remains limited, and a substantial share continues to flow to the overburdened landfills at Ghazipur, Bhalswa, and Okhla. Segregation-at-source is also around 30-40%, which further weakens traceability efforts. Although Delhi has one of the country’s largest informal recovery networks with nearly 1.5 Lakh waste-pickers, their contributions are not fully reflected in formal EPR systems. Despite improvements in the portal, where EPR credits come only from registered recyclers with declared capacities to prevent duplicity, much remains to be done for effective and robust implementation. E-waste is collected mainly through formal channels, while plastic waste relies on the informal sector, with waste-pickers forming the backbone of recovery but lacking social recognition or benefits. Although the EPR Rules mandate their integration, no clear framework exists. A positive step is the NAMASTE scheme, which enumerates waste pickers at the state level. Once a national registry is established, they will be able to access government welfare schemes such as Ayushman Bharat health insurance, pre-matric scholarships for children, and e-Shram registration for unorganized workers. Institutional reforms and pathways to strengthen EPR Pushpendra Saroj, Member of Lok Sabha Despite challenges, EPR can drive transformation, backed by reforms. Real-time dashboards can strengthen transparency and accessibility of the CPCB portal, while third-party verification and audit logs will improve monitoring and maintaining credibility. Formalising and registering waste-pickers is crucial. Land-expanding Material Recovery Facilities and dry waste collection centres through partnerships will improve local infrastructure and waste processing. Differentiated compliance systems for MSMEs will remove administrative burdens and create accountability among larger polluters. Eco-modulated fee structures, mandatory minimum public procurement of recycled products, and incentives for sustainable packaging will encourage design innovation and material efficiency, helping to stabilise markets and make recycling a viable option for manufacturers and financially benefit the informal sector. Strengthening the operational capacity of state and municipal authorities is necessary to ensure effective enforcement and monitoring. Conclusion: The road to a circular future India’s EPR framework has advanced with broader coverage and robust digital mechanisms, but remains compliance-driven, focusing on paperwork and targets, rather than actual outcomes. A shift to performance-based EPR, where responsibility is tied to verified recovery, quality recycling, and inclusion of the informal sector, can turn India’s waste challenge into a true circular economy opportunity

ISRO Flags New Stubble Burning Pattern: Farm Fires Rising in Evenings

A new ISRO study has found a significant shift in stubble-burning patterns across Punjab and Haryana, revealing that a growing share of farm fires now occur during evening hours. This raises concerns that satellites may be undercounting these fires due to reduced visibility after sunset. In this detailed conversation, @GrihaAtul and @Srish__T speak with Anumita Roychowdhury from the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), who explains the study’s findings, the implications for air quality assessments, and why accurate fire detection is crucial for policy-making.

Delhi air pollution alert: How vehicular pollution is quietly damaging your lungs, raising PM2.5

A Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) report released on Monday highlighted a recurring trend: PM2.5 levels rise and fall in step with nitrogen dioxide during the morning and evening rush hours, underscoring traffic’s central role in daily pollution spikes. While nitrogen dioxide surges sharply and immediately due to tailpipe emissions, PM2.5 builds up more gradually and becomes trapped beneath the shallow boundary layers typical of winter. Carbon monoxide — another hazardous pollutant for which vehicles are the primary source — has also shown a marked increase across the city.

Experts warn Aravali's 100-metre rule risks dismantling its landscape, biodiversity and groundwater systems

Noting that the fundamental drivers of wind-blown dust that are overwhelming the NCR and other states are not truly being addressed, Executive Director of the Centre for Science and Environment, Anumita Roy Chowdhury, stated that the role of the Aravalis, the forests, and the green belt becomes crucial, "because this natural barrier is essential for protecting air quality."

Delhi air quality remains ‘Very Poor’ at 323 amid persistent smog

Difficult weather circumstances exacerbate the dangerous air. For Friday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast mostly cloudy skies with isolated cold wave conditions and shallow morning fog, with minimum temperatures of about 5 degrees Celsius. It is anticipated that winds will continue to be weak, mostly from the northwest, with speeds of less than 12 kmph, which will not significantly disperse the deeply ingrained pollutants. This smog crisis’s timing highlights a concerning pattern that the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) recently examined. Its assessment, which was made public earlier this week, evaluated annual and early winter trends in air quality and found increasing toxicity and a deteriorating state in the NCR’s smaller towns.

Delhi’s Smoggy Chill Deepens: AQI Hits ‘Very Poor’ as Cold Wave Looms

Despite a reduced role from seasonal farm fires, Delhi’s AQI has veered into “very poor” to “severe” levels, underscoring the dominance of local emitters like vehicles and combustion processes. “Delhi and NCR cannot hide behind the smokescreen of farm fires any more as even with much lesser contribution to local air quality this time, air quality has turned very poor to severe, exposing the impact of local sources. However, more worrying is the daily synchronised rise of PM2.5 and other toxic gases, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO), largely from vehicles and combustion sources, creating a toxic cocktail that has gone unnoticed. The long-term air quality trend in Delhi has also plateaued without showing improvement. This signals an urgent need for deep-rooted shifts in infrastructure and systems to upscale action to cut emissions from vehicles, industry, power plants, waste, construction and household energy,” stated Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at CSE, in the report.

Another ‘very poor’ morning for Delhi as AQI dips further, IMD predicts cold wave

Delhi residents woke up to another “very poor” morning on Friday as the national capital's air quality index (AQI) deteriorated further from Thursday evening’s levels. According to the data from the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) Sameer app, Delhi’s average AQI was recorded at 324 at 7:05 AM on Friday morning. This is 20 points up from 304 recorded on Thursday evening, plummeting the city further into the “very poor” category. Thirty-one of Delhi’s forty AQI monitoring stations recorded the pollution levels in the “very poor” category, with RK Puram topping the charts at 374. It was followed closely by Bawana and Nehru Nagar, which showed AQI levels at 373 and 366, respectively. The Mandir Marg monitoring station showed the lowest AQI in the city at 222, followed by NSIT, Dwarka, with an average AQI of 266, all still in the “poor” category. Cold wave warning in Delhi A mainly cloudy sky with shallow fog in the morning and cold wave conditions at isolated places have been predicted for Friday by the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) stated that the minimum temperature is expected to settle at 5 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature, which had stood at 23.1 degrees Celsius, is expected to drop to 23 degrees Celsius. The predominant surface wind is likely to be from the northwest direction, with wind speeds of up to 10 kmph during the morning hours, it added. The wind speed will increase, becoming less than 12 kmph from the northwest direction in the afternoon, and then decrease, reaching less than 10 kmph from the northwest direction during the evening and night. New report exposes growing toxicity of the air A new assessment of the early winter trends (October-November) and annual air quality trends in the national capital by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), exposes the growing toxicity of the air, worsening of air quality in smaller towns of the National Capital region (NCR), and the risk of reversal of long term air quality gains in the city. According to a report released by the CSE on Monday, Delhi's air quality has deteriorated to the very poor to severe range despite a significantly lower contribution from farm fires this season, indicating the impact of local pollution sources, mainly from vehicles and combustion sources. "Delhi and NCR cannot hide behind the smokescreen of farm fires any more as even with much lesser contribution to local air quality this time, air quality has turned very poor to severe, exposing the impact of local sources. However, more worrying is the daily synchronised rise of PM2.5 and other toxic gases, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO), largely from vehicles and combustion sources, creating a toxic cocktail that has gone unnoticed. The long-term air quality trend in Delhi has also plateaued without showing improvement. This signals an urgent need for deep-rooted shifts in infrastructure and systems to upscale action to cut emissions from vehicles, industry, power plants, waste, construction and household energy," Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director at CSE, said in the CSE report.

दिल्ली में कहां से आ रहा प्रदूषण? किस चीज से AQi हुआ बेहद खराब? CSE के विशेषज्ञ ने बताया सच

Delhi AQI causes: दिल्ली में प्रदूषण कम होने का नाम नहीं ले रहा. अभी भी यहां का एक्यूआई बेहद खराब श्रेणी में है. प्रदूषण को लेकर न केवल पर्यावरण और स्वास्थ्य विशेषज्ञ बल्कि अन्य संस्थानों से जुड़े लोग भी चिंता जता चुके हैं और दिल्ली से कुछ दिनों के लिए दूर रहने की सलाह तक दे चुके हैं. इसके प्रभाव से लगभग सभी बीमारियों के मरीजों की संख्या बढ़ रही है. जबकि रेस्पिरेटरी और फेफड़ों से जुड़े मरीजों की हालत गंभीर होती जा रही है. हालांकि सबसे बड़ा सवाल है कि दिल्ली में ये प्रदूषण कहां से आ रहा है? आखिर क्यों दिल्ली-एनसीआर का एक्यूआई सर्दी आते ही इतना खराब हो जाता है? दिल्ली स्थित सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट लगातार दिल्ली में वायु प्रदूषण के कारणों की खोज करने के साथ ही समाधानों की तलाश कर रहा है. सीएसई के वायु प्रदूषण विशेषज्ञ विवेक चट्टोपाध्याय से जानते हैं दिल्ली में हर सर्दी में आने वाली इस आफत का कारण क्या है और इससे बचाव के क्या उपाय हैं? विवेक चट्टोपाध्याय बताते हैं कि दिल्ली की बेहद खराब एयर क्वालिटी के पीछे कई कारण हैं. राजधानी के प्रदूषण में सिर्फ दिल्ली नहीं बल्कि कई अन्य क्षेत्रों और शहरों की भी बराबर भागीदार है. एक स्टडी के मुताबिक यहां के प्रदूषण में दिल्ली का लगभग योगदान महज 30 फीसदी है, जबकि एनसीआर की भी इतनी ही 30 फीसदी है और बाहरी क्षेत्रों की 40 फीसदी हिस्सेदारी है.

वाहनों से होने वाला प्रदूषण अब दिल्ली की ख़राब वायु गुणवत्ता का मुख्य कारण

इस साल खेतों में पराली जलाने की घटनाएं कम होने के बावजूद अक्टूबर और नवंबर में दिल्ली की वायु गुणवत्ता अब भी खराब है. इसका प्रमुख कारण वाहन प्रदूषण है, दिल्ली स्थित सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) के ताज़ा विश्लेषण से पता चलता है. विश्लेषण के अनुसार, वास्तविक समय के वायु प्रदूषण डेटा ने दिखाया कि महीन कण या पार्टिकुलेट मैटर (पीएम2.5) के स्तर – जो एक प्रमुख प्रदूषक है – ट्रैफिक के पीक समय में नाइट्रोजन डाइऑक्साइड और कार्बन मोनोऑक्साइड के स्तर में होने वाले रोज़ाना उतार-चढ़ाव समान ही रहे. ये दोनों गैसें मुख्यतः वाहनों से निकलती हैं. विश्लेषण में पाया गया कि पिछले कुछ सालों में दिल्ली-एनसीआर में और भी ‘प्रदूषण हॉटस्पॉट’ सामने आए हैं, और बहादुरगढ़ जैसे छोटे शहर अब इस सूची में शामिल हो गए हैं, क्योंकि यहां पहले की तुलना में अधिक घना स्मॉग देखा जा रहा है.

Poisoned skies: How China tackled pollution — if Beijing can, why can’t Delhi?

India’s National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), launched in 2019, aims for a 20–30% reduction in particulate pollution by 2024 (revised to 40% by 2026). While there has been some progress — a 19.3% drop in particulate pollution in 2022 compared with 2021, according to EPIC — Delhi continues to struggle with enforcement, coordination, and fund utilisation. Between 2019–20 and 2023–24, only 29.5% of NCAP funds were effectively used, according to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Delhi is engulfed in a thick, choking smog fuelled by crop-residue burning in neighbouring states, vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, and road dust. For years, hazardous air quality has become almost routine, putting residents’ health at risk. Meanwhile, Beijing — once notorious as the “smog capital of the world” — has transformed its air in just over a decade. Coordinated policies, strict enforcement, and bold reforms have turned the grey city skies blue, offering a stark contrast to Delhi’s perennial haze.

CSE Study: Petrol, Diesel Vehicles Biggest Cause Of Poor AQI; Scrap Old Vehicles And Go Electric

Air pollution is one of the major issues that people living in Delhi NCR are currently facing. The government has been imposing bans on vehicles and construction work from time to time whenever they see a spike in AQI. The Centre for Science and Environment has now released a new analysis in which they mentioned that the peak pollution levels have been lower this winter so far when compared to previous years, but the average pollution levels remain largely the same.

दिल्ली-NCR में 15 नए हॉटस्पॉट्स ने तोड़ा सारे रिकॉर्ड, CSE की रिपोर्ट में बड़ा खुलासा, पराली कम जली, फिर भी बढ़ा प्रदूषण

दिल्ली और एनसीआर में इस साल सर्दियों की शुरुआत के साथ ही प्रदूषण का स्तर और भी भयावह हो गया है. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (CSE) की नई रिपोर्ट बताती है कि राजधानी में हवा की गुणवत्ता लगातार गिर रही है, जहरीले कण बढ़ रहे हैं और पिछले वर्षों में जो मामूली सुधार देखा गया था, वह अब पूरी तरह ठहर गया है. रिपोर्ट यह भी बताती है कि एनसीआर के छोटे शहरों में प्रदूषण और गहराता जा रहा है, जहां नए-नए हॉटस्पॉट बन रहे हैं. कम पराली जलने के बावजूद हवा का बेहद खराब होना साफ संकेत है कि दिल्ली-एनसीआर में प्रदूषण के स्थानीय स्रोत अब सबसे बड़ा खतरा बन चुके हैं.

Warming Monsoon Warning

Winter in Kohima may be bitterly cold, but it is making headlines for quite the opposite reason. Recently, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Down to Earth revealed in its report that Kohima recorded higher-than-normal minimum temperatures on 98% of monsoon days between June and September, making it the highest among 34 state capitals assessed, followed by Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu at 91 per cent. The report went on to say that the state capital recorded 53 days of extreme weather events and eight deaths between January and September this year, against 46 days of excessive weather in 2024 (26 deaths), 19 days in 2023 (17 deaths) and 15 days in 2022 (10 deaths). With winter and the festive season here, the report has failed to spark interest for discussion. However, the changing weather pattern, which is evident in the rise of extreme weather events such as heatwaves, cloudbursts, droughts, flash floods, etc., over the years, should serve as a warning of a potential increase in such events and with more intensity. It is a matter of grave concern that requires attention because the cost of ignoring this change can be heavy, affecting everything from food to public health to water. A rise in temperature during monsoon can result in erratic weather conditions, including floods and droughts, which will in turn increase the risk of crop failures, heat-related illnesses and waterborne diseases, as well as natural calamities like landslides. For a state like Nagaland, where agriculture and allied activities are the backbone of the economy, with a significant majority of the population still depending on it for livelihood. Many farmers continue to practise traditional methods of farming, particularly jhuming and terrace cultivation. They rely on monsoon rains to grow crops. So, any change in the monsoon pattern can have a detrimental impact on food production and subsequently cause a food crisis. This calls for the need to build resilience against climate change. Strategies such as adapting to the risks posed by extreme weather events, transitioning from traditional to more profitable farming methods, and implementing early warning systems can help mitigate damage. The government should address climate change by implementing climate-friendly policies, such as transitioning to renewable energy, adopting sustainable transportation practices, and safeguarding the environment. The implications of a warmer monsoon should not be underestimated.