SEMARNAT Opens Public Consultation on New Mining Waste Rule

Mexico’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) has launched a formal process to overhaul regulations governing waste from the extractive industry, marking a significant update to the country’s environmental framework for mining operations. 

On Jan. 2, 2026, SEMARNAT published a notice in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) opening a 60-day public consultation on the draft standard PROY-NOM-157-SEMARNAT-2025. The proposal would replace the existing NOM-157-SEMARNAT-2009, which regulates mining waste management. According to SEMARNAT, the objective is to move toward a more comprehensive, preventive, and technology-based approach that addresses environmental risks associated with extractive activities. 

A key feature of PROY-NOM-157-SEMARNAT-2025 is its emphasis on prevention and valorization of mining waste. Unlike the current standard, the draft explicitly promotes the adoption of new processes, methods, and technologies that are environmentally responsible while remaining economically and technically feasible. The goal is to reduce waste generation at source and increase opportunities for reuse or recovery, improving overall efficiency in waste handling.

The draft regulation would be mandatory for all individuals and legal entities that generate or possess mining waste within Mexican territory. It reinforces the principle of shared responsibility, maintaining that both the generator and the holder of mining waste are jointly liable for its management. The proposal also clarifies that submitting a waste management plan does not exempt companies from obtaining other applicable environmental permits or authorizations.

SEMARNAT says that the public interest underlying the draft standard is the protection of ecosystems and the mitigation of environmental risks linked to mining residues. While the proposed rule does not have a direct international equivalent, the agency notes that comparable global standards do not exist, positioning the regulation as a domestically developed framework aligned with current technical criteria.

The proposal was approved for public consultation during the Fourth Ordinary Session of the National Consultative Committee for Environmental and Natural Resources Standardization, held on Dec. 18, 2025. Its publication initiates a mandatory consultation period during which stakeholders may submit technical or regulatory comments. The full text of the proposal is available through the government’s Integrated Technology Platform for Quality Infrastructure.