Waste Prevention and Management Act, 2009 (Bhutan)

The Waste Prevention and Management Act of Bhutan aims to protect and sustain human health through protection of the environment by reducing generation of waste at source, promoting segregation, reuse and recycling of wastes, disposal of waste in an environmentally sound manner, and effective functioning and coordination among implementing agencies. The Act echoes the constitution of Bhutan in recognizing a person's right to a safe and healthy environment with equal and corresponding duty to protect and promote the environmental well-being of the country. It likewise provides that every person shall take all precautionary measures in maintaining a clean and healthy environment. It also states that a person polluting the environment or causing ecological harm shall be responsible for the costs of avoidance, containment, abatement, medical compensation, mitigation, remediation and restoration. It provides for the management requirements for different categories of wastes (e.g., hazardous, non-hazardous, medical and e-waste) and various mechanisms for reducing waste namely administrative (e.g., governing rules and waste management plans), financial (e.g., fees for activities related to waste generation or disposal and tax incentives for environment friendly products), physical (e.g., segregation stations), awareness and outreach, and research mechanisms. It also provides for offenses and penalties in case of violation of the Act.