Indian Scenario for Hazardous Waste

Inventorization of hazardous wastes generating units and quantification of wastes generated in India
are being done by the respective State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs). Ministry of Environment &
Forests, Government of India, in order to simplify the procedures, has categorize the industrial projects
on the basis of the severity of pollution from a specific industry. These industries are categorized as
Red, Orange and Green in decreasing order of severity of pollution.
Seventeen industries are listed as Red for heavily polluting and are covered under Central Action Plan
such as Distillery including Fermentation Industry, Sugar, Fertiliser, Pulp & Paper (Paper manufacturing
with or without pulping), Chlor alkali, Pharmaceuticals, Zinc smelter, Copper smelter, Aluminium smelter,
Cement, Tanneries, Dyes, Pesticides, Oil Refinery & Iron and Steel.
Also industry Manufacturing following products or carrying out following activities are under Red
categories: Tyres and tubes (Vulcanisation/Retreading/ moulding), synthetic rubber, glass and fibre
glass production and processing, Industrial carbon including electrodes and graphite blocks, activated
carbon, carbon black, paints and varnishes (excluding blending/mixing), pigments and intermediates,
synthetic resins, petroleum products involving storage, transfer or processing, lubricating oils, greases
or petroleum based products, synthetic fibre including rayon, tyre cord, polyester filament yarn, surgical
and medical products involving prophylactics and latex, synthetic detergent and soap, photographic
films and chemicals, chemical, petrochemical and electrochemical including manufacture of acids such
as sulphuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, industrial or inorganic gases, chlorates, perchlorates
and peroxides, glue and gelatin, etc.
Twenty-five Industries are identified under ‘ORANGE” Category such as mirror from sheet glass
and photo framing, Cotton spinning and weaving, Automobile servicing and repairs stations, hotels
and restaurants, flour mills (excluding domestic aatta chakki), malted food, food including fruits and
vegetable processing, pulping and fermenting of coffee beans, instant tea/coffee, coffee processing,
non-alcoholic beverages (soft drinks), fragrances and industrial perfumes, food additives, nutrients
and flavours, fish processing, organic nutrients, surgical and medical products not involving effluent/
emission generating processes, laboratory-wares, wire drawing (cold process) and bailing straps,
stone crushers, etc.
Green category industry are small scale, cottage/village category suggested under notification of the
State Government/Union Territory. All those industries or processes which are not covered under the
“Red” and/or “Orange” category are in Green category such as: wasting of used sand by hydraulic
discharge, steeping and processing of grains, mineralised water, dal mills, bakery products, biscuits
confectionery, chilling plants and cold storages, cotton and woolen hosiery, apparel making, shoelace
manufacturing, gold and silver smithy, leather footwear and leather products excluding tanning and
hide processing, musical instruments manufacturing, bamboo and cane products (only dry operations),
cardboard or corrugated box and paper products (paper or pulp manufacturing excluded), etc.[11]