The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board on September 24, 2026, notified the Classification of Industrial Sectors under Red, Orange, Green, White, and Blue Categories based on the Environmental Pollution Index (EPI).
The following has been stated:
• The Board has adopted the Central Pollution Control Board’s Environmental Pollution Index (EPI)-based methodology for classifying industrial sectors according to their pollution potential arising from water pollution, air pollution and ecosystem impacts. The revised categorisation divides industries and activities into Red, Orange, Green, White and Blue categories for environmental regulation, consent management, monitoring and enforcement across Maharashtra.
• Red category includes highly polluting activities such as integrated iron and steel plants, distilleries, refineries and hazardous waste processing facilities; Orange category covers activities such as brick kilns, coir bleaching and dyeing, and certain metal-processing units; Green and White categories include comparatively lower-pollution activities, subject to specified processes and conditions; and Blue category covers essential environmental services such as municipal solid waste management facilities, waste-to-energy plants, construction and demolition waste processing plants, and sewage treatment plants.
• The revised classification applies to all regulatory functions under the jurisdiction of MPCB and other concerned authorities and comes into force from the date of issuance of the circular.
[Notification No. - MPCB/1781/2026-002]
