Packaging of pharmaceuticals and food products in Polyethyl-ene Terephthalate (PET) container was safe, scientists said during a seminar on 'Know your pet packaging - separate the myths from the facts', held at the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) on April 21.

A statement issued by NCL said that, the scientists also said that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MHFW) to reconsider the notification proposing a ban on PET packaging for pharmaceutical products based on globally accepted evidence. The basis for the proposed move is not based on existing practice existing practice or known sci-ence and, hence, unjustified, they said in the statement.

During the seminar, Swaminathan Sivaram, former director, NCL, said that there was a misconception about leaching of phthalates and migration of the heavy metals in the context of PET containers. This was incorrect.

Prakash P. Wadgaonkar, chief scientist, polymer science and engineering division, NCL said that no two plastics are the same, and each plastic has a different chemistry. PET is made from safe constituents.

In fact, the Bureau of Indian Standards has set stringent specifications for the usage of PET packaging of pharmaceuticals and food, which have been followed for the past 28 years, said the statement. The open seminar was unanimous in its scientific analysis that PET as a container was safe for packaging all items, including food and medicines.

 

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