The All-India Glass Manufacturers Federation (AIGMF) announced at the beginning of May 2009 that it has decided that all bottles will have the date of manufacture as of July. This decision was taken b…
The All-India Glass Manufacturers Federation (AIGMF) announced at the beginning of May 2009 that it has decided that all bottles will have the date of manufacture as of July. This decision was taken because of increasing complaints that glass bottles were being reused rampantly and without the necessary sterilization. The decision is now waiting for approval from the Bureau of Indian Standards and the Indian Medical Association. General manager of Hindustan National Glass and Industries Limited and AIGF member, V. Sreeram, said that the manufacturing period would be put on the bottle by means of a process called traceability. “If the bottle is manufactured in the first quarter of 2009 it will have a dot followed by 2009. A bottle can have up to four quarters.” This means that eco-friendly glass containers will now have their date of manufacture easy to see for the general public. “The AIGMF has decided not to recycle bottles used in the food and pharma industry. Urchins and others pick up the bottles which are then reused. We are planning to abolish this practice in the food and pharma industry where hygiene is top priority,” Sreeram said. According to T. S. Jaishankar of the Confederation of Indian Pharma, “It is a good move and will ensure quality products but will ensure price control on manufacturers as the price of the end-product is controlled. Another aspect is whether the labelling will be done by the manufacturer? This is impractical.” “Markings on bottles will help manufacturers ensure their products are packed safely in clean containers. Also, it will curtail illegal manufacture by reducing the usage of unaccounted packaging materials,” said Sreeram. He went on to explain that in developed markets, glass packaging was a one-time phenomenon. In India, however, the re-use of glass bottles is carried out for soft drinks, beer, liquor and even for food and beverages.