Page 9 - Plastics News April 2020

post-containment period of COVID-19, wherein Introduce sustenance packages for employees of
they are assured about medical treatment for impacted sectors
recovery from related sickness. This would enable
mobilization of workers subsequently for execution Ø The government should introduce special
sustenance schemes for employees of plastics
of projects and also open an alternative for
companies to consume their unutilized CSR fund. processing sectors.

Role of Plastics in safeguarding the Nation against Coronavirus-Urgent request to remove all
restrictions and supply.
AIPMA on behalf of all the entire Plastics Industry in the pharmaceuticals products.
country including all our affiliated association has
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that
written a letter to Chief Ministers, Chief Secretaries,
some 89 million medical masks, 76 million examination
Principal Secretaries in the Ministry of all State
Government and Union Territories in India on Role of gloves and 1.6 million goggles will be needed for the
COVID-19 response every month while the pandemic
Plastics in safeguarding the Nation against Coronavirus
lasts. (Source: The Hindu-Business line News article),
and urgently requesting to remove all restrictions in
which indicated the need for the industry to rise to the
production and supply.
challenge to ensure coronavirus free India.
Unprecedented measures rolled out by our Prime
Plastics packaging plays a vital role in protecting these
Minister Shri Narendra Modiji to combat the pandemic of
Coronavirus (COVID-19) posing imminent danger to the equipment and other healthcare products as all this
equipment are sanitized, sterilized and are intended to
health of 1.3 billion people of our nation. As has been
be delivered in the same sterilized condition. Plastics
evident from news emanating from across India, large
number of precious human resources engaged in Health being a non-reactive and sterile material, protect these
apparatus, equipment and other healthcare products
Care, Security, Sanitation, Support services and
during transportation and prevent them from
essential goods supply line are working of selflessly on
contamination. These include all types of plastics
the front line to ensure well-being of the nation.
packaging used for medical and pharmaceuticals
The Plastics Industry is playing a crucial role in the hour products such as variety of plastic bags, bottles, shrink
of need as its products are supporting the efforts of films, blister packaging and many more.
frontline warriors by being a safety shield between the
The packaging material used for essential items like
draconian virus and the frontline workers. In fact,
food, vegetable, fruits, etc. have proven its significance
varieties of products made of plastics are a crucial part
of managing the COVID-19 containment. First and at these times to mitigate contamination threat from
alternatives on which the virus can sit in a dormant state
foremost masks, head caps, gowns, overalls, gloves,
to infect a next host. Many countries including USA have
glasses and head shield all made of Plastics are
put aside their reservation on single-use plastics to
protecting our Doctors and supporting staff from
negate the risk factors jeopardizing the safety of
exposure to deadly virus while they care for the infected
patients. Medical devices and disposables for critical citizens.
care units are predominantly made of Plastics. The In view of the on-going situation, we requested the
disposables required for nursing patients needs are also Government should immediately remove all the barriers
of plastics. Masks required in millions to keep the virus such as bans/restrictions in production and supply of
from spreading are made from plastics. For supporting plastics products that could be used for producing and
needs of the society and supply line of essential with supply of essential goods and items. Such plastics items
minimal risk of virus contamination also calls for single- should be declared as essential to facilitate its large
use plastic packaging in large volume not to mention scale production to meet the unprecedented demand.
regular packaging material for food products and

APRIL 2020 6 Plastics News