Page 32 - Plastics Nuews October 2017

FEATuRES

costs could go up. The government needs to have a proper problem rather than Plastics alone. How are manufactures
vision,” said Sil. responsible if a consumer throws the bottle on streets after
drinking water? It is a social and collective responsibility
There is hope. The Plastic Waste Management Rules
for everyone to follow.
2016 says that manufacture and use of non-recyclable
multilayered plastic shall be phased out in two years’ The solution lies in Recycling of plastics. Also it would be
time from March 18, 2016. That is the deadline for the advisable to have a commercial value attached to bags so
Maharashtra government to ban plastic bags. that they are not littered. Banning plastic is not a solution
because we do not have a substitute to plastics…only
The Solution
regulating it will be a solution. The fact that it has been
Considering the gravity of the situation the most of the now used in making of roads will definitely see the results.
manufacturers are adherring to the limit of 50 microns. Plastic is one of the best alternate materials available,
Also the question remains How come states ban Plastics and at times is termed as magic material for it requires
without implementing the Plastics Waste Management minimum energy to be transformed in whichever way one
rules (PWM) 2016. Littering is more of waste management wants it. Be it toothbrush, cell phone, laptops, electrical
gadgets and many more.

PET bottles are safe for Pharma Packaging

The safety of PET has been repeatedly demonstrated through extensive studies, regulatory
approvals and scientific testing

he Indian pharmaceuticals market is the world’s third Aluminum, glass and PET are the preferred packaging
Tlargest in terms of volume and thirteenth largest in systems for solid oral formulations. Aluminum and plastic
terms of value. The industry is one of the fastest growing collapsible tubes are used for semi solid formulations and
sectors in the Indian economy, valued at $35 billion (both glass or PET for liquid orals and injectable.
India market and exports from India).
PET, one of the most popular type of plastics, gained
It is important to note here that packaging is an importance in the past few decades and is been widely
inseparable component of any product, be it consumer used in the healthcare industry due to its safety and
goods or industrial products. Today, aluminum, glass quality standards. It is generally used for packaging of
and plastic are being majorly used for packaging in the liquid oral drug formulations and is the most used and
pharma industry. However, this evolution happened over globally accepted form of plastic utilized in packaging for
a period. Earlier, the preferred materials were aluminum pediatric and geriatric drugs.
and glass. These materials are expensive and could not Plastics, in this case PET, which is used in medical
provide economically viable solutions for packaging of applications adheres to rigid quality and safety standards,
products of mass consumption, and hence the industry and is tested for being non-toxic, non-carcinogenic,
saw the advent of plastic packaging.
biocompatible and in no way injurious in the biological
Plastic bottles used for pharma packaging are made of environment. The safety of PET has been repeatedly
a special plastic, known as polyethylene terephthalate demonstrated through extensive studies, regulatory
or PET - a clear, strong and lightweight plastic belonging approvals and scientific testing, as well as its widespread
to the polyester family. It is the same plastic which is use and acceptance for more than three decades.
globally used for storing and selling packaged drinking PET has been cleared as safe for food and beverage contact
water, carbonated soft drinks and soda, amongst other
by health and regulatory agencies around the world,
consumable liquid products.
including the U. S. Food & Drug Administration, Health

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