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AIGMF assures pharma cos of unhindered supply of glass bottles following ban on PET bottles
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Shardul Nautiyal, Mumbai
January 31 , 2015
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In the light of the proposed ban on use of PET (Polyethylene
Terephthalate) for packaging medicines, the All India Glass
Manufacturers’ Federation (AIGMF) has approached the Union health
ministry to reiterate glass industry’s capabilities for unhindered
supplies of glass bottles to pharmaceutical companies.
In a
written submission, the AIGMF informed the Health Ministry that 'we
would like to assure you that our members will ensure the availability
of glass bottles to the liquid filling pharmaceutical units on priority
basis throughout the year'.
The industry invested more than Rs.
5000 crore in the last 5 years to create capacities. This will enable
the glass industry to cater to the additional demand from pharma
industry.
According to an AIGMF official, in the light of the
proposed ban on use of PET for packaging medicines, an ill-informed
campaign was started on the characteristic of glass bottles and on its
suitability for primary packaging of pharma products. This campaign
started after the government issued a pre-notification on September 29,
2014 seeking suggestion for prohibition of usage of PET for
pharmaceutical packaging.
AIGMF opines that the misconception
created about price increase of drugs due to prohibition of PET
packaging shows total disregard for human health especially of women and
children.
Glass industry in India has a capacity of over 10,000
tons of glass per day which will convert to yearly capacity of almost
3.7 million tons. If it is required immediately industry has the
capacity of over 1 million tons, which is more than sufficient to cater
to the requirement. As a matter of fact, the pharmaceutical industry
currently uses glass bottles to fill its 40-50 per cent requirement. The
conversion from glass to PET/plastic packaging started only 8 to 10
years back for the sake of convenience, purely commercial benefits and
due to lack of awareness.
AIGMF also opines that the impact of
cost of packaging on the MRP is not so significant that the switchover
from PET to glass should be of any issue to any manufacturer especially
considering the huge health advantage women and children enjoy in the
long run due to this switchover.
The Drugs Technical Advisory
Board (DTAB) had initially considered banning the use of plastic during a
meeting held on November 25, 2013. The Indian Drug Manufacturers’
Association (IDMA), in turn, had made a detailed submission on December
20, 2013, asking them to reconsider the recommendation.
The IDMA
has also written to the ministry of health and family welfare and the
PMO, slamming the proposed ban on using plastic containers as primary
packaging of drugs and formulations in the country. The IDMA, in its
letters, quoted the finding of an expert committee set up by DTAB to
study the health-related claims noted that, “information provided in the
representation of a Dehradun-based non-profit organisation HIM Jagriti,
Uttaranchal Welfare Society and according to available literature, is
not sufficient enough to establish a definite correlation of causality
of plastic container for pharmaceutical products and adverse health
effects.”
With a total pharmaceutical-specific market of one lakh metric ton or Rs. 2,500 crore, the plastic industry is up in arms against the proposal, saying there is no precedence for such a move.
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