Ministry expands list of industries that are minimal polluters

THe unification surround ministry has expanded the lean of industries below the ‘ edward d. White category’ –– industries exempted from obtaining both consent to establish (CTE) and consent to operate (CTO) from state pollution control boards.The ministry, in November 2024, had said white category industries, which have minimal or negligible pollution potential will be exempt from consent from pollution control boards. In a notification issued on November 12, 2024, the ministry said the exempted industries, include all industrial plants having pollution index score up to 20, subject to the condition that such plants shall inform in writing to the state pollution control boards or the Pollution Control Committees; and plants that have obtained prior environmental clearance will also be exempt. As per the November 2024 notification, 39 sectors were part of the white category. Thereafter the principal notification of November 2024 was amended on July 28, 2025 when the number of sectors was expanded to 54 and it was said that all industrial sectors or projects or processes or activities having pollution index score upto 25 will be listed in the category.The ministry, in separate notifications issued on October 17 under the Air Act and the Water Act, has now increased the list of white category industries to 86.According to the notification, cement product manufacturing (without using Asbestos) like pipe, pillar, jafri, well ring, blocks/tiles etc. (<1 tonnes per day (TPD)) which was earlier in the green category is now in the white category. Other sectors part of the white category include: detergent powder manufacturing (handmade - without steam boiling or boiler); bakery, confectionery, and sweets production units having capacity more than 0.5 TPD but less than 1 TPD, using only cleaner fuels –– electricity or gaseous fuel and with having permission to discharge in municipal sewerage system connected to terminal STP; and food and food processing unit (having capacity more than 0.5 TPD but less than 1 TPD) using only cleaner fuels –– electricity/gaseous fuel, with having permission to discharge in municipal sewerage system connected to terminal STP among others.The category features standalone manufacturing of concrete admixtures up to 1000 MT per Month capacity by physical mixing (without boiler and reactor and no generation of wastewater). It also includes compressed Bio Gas plants based on feedstock-Municipal Solid Waste, agro-residue, energy crops grass or weeds, animal waste, press mud, etc. (as similar type feedstock apart from industrial or process waste), not discharging any waste water and producing by-products is also in the new list.HT sent a query to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) seeking details of industries that had been re-categorised, but did not receive a response immediately.The union environment ministry on November 14 last year had issued an SOP for all ‘White’ industries.All industries/activities, appended as schedule of the said notifications (categorized as White) are exempted from the mandatory condition of obtaining consent to establish and consent to operate from state pollution control boards as per the above referred notification will follow Procedure as given below: “a.These units will have to intimate about their operation to SPCBs / PCCs in the form of a self-declaration, complying with all the prevalent rules and regulations. They are not required to pay any consent fee. B. SPCBS/ PCCs shall maintain list of such industries/ activities separately, which shall be updated from time to time. C. SPCBs / PCCs shall ensure that no activities other than those intimated, are carried out by such exempted units.”HT had reported on October 2 that the Union environment ministry has proposed to exempt standalone cement grinding units, which do not have captive power plants and transport raw materials and finished products either through the railways or electric vehicles, from obtaining prior environmental clearance.“We are talking about small industries and hence it is difficult to assess what impact they would have on cumulative pollution. The most important factor is whether industries are being monitored effectively or not, even if they are not taking consent,” said an expert on industrial pollution who did not wish to be named.