MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has expanded the newly created ‘Blue Category’ of industries by including eight additional services that support the circular economy. The category was introduced by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in February 2025 to ease documentation and fast-track approvals for essential environmental facilities.The CPCB classifies industries into Red, Orange, Green and White categories based on their pollution potential, ranging from heavy polluting units to virtually non-polluting ones.The Blue Category sits alongside these four and is reserved for essential environmental facilities such as waste processing and sewage treatment, which are considered critical to municipal service delivery and waste management.The CPCB initially added facilities such as municipal solid waste processing units, waste-to-energy plants, biogas units, construction and demolition waste centres and sewage treatment plants under the Blue Category. Establishments in this category are eligible for simplified consents and quicker clearances as part of the Ease of Doing Business initiative.MPCB has gone further by adding eight more services including plastic waste recycling, PET bottle recycling, e-waste dismantling and sanitary e-waste management plants. Officials said the measure is expected to accelerate circular economy activity in the state and draw investors to allied sectors. Units in the category will also receive an additional two-year extension beyond the original consent validity period.A proposal to include the eight additional services has been sent to the CPCB for approval. Officials added that the initiative was driven by Board chairman Siddhesh Kadam and followed a policy study conducted by member secretary Devender Singh, IAS.
