The Kerala State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) on August 22, 2026, issued the Revised List of Red Category Industries and Non-Industrial Operations as on August 21, 2026.
The following has been stated:
• The list covers highly polluting industrial activities such as automobile manufacturing, asbestos industries, cement, chemicals, distilleries, explosives, fertilizers, mining, iron and steel, non-ferrous metal processing, petroleum and petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, hazardous-waste recycling, e-waste recycling, lead recycling, sugar and slaughterhouses, among others.
• The classification takes into account factors such as air and water pollution, hazardous waste generation, fuel usage, wastewater generation and associated environmental or safety risks. The list also contains specific conditions and thresholds—for example, certain beverage, detergent, dairy and brewery units are included where wastewater generation is 100 KLD or more, while specified AAC brick/block, ceramic and refractory activities are covered based on fuel consumption. Cleaner/gaseous-fuel-based processes are separately identified in several sectors, and certain activities are subject to recategorisation following inspection depending on the actual polluting processes undertaken.
