The All India Glass Manufacturers Federation (AIGMF) is making it compulsory for its members to mark the period of manufacturing of bottles used in the food and beverage and pharma sectors to curtail …
The All India Glass Manufacturers Federation (AIGMF) is making it compulsory for its members to mark the period of manufacturing of bottles used in the food and beverage and pharma sectors to curtail reuse of containers. “We have internally decided to implement it and all members have been asked to incorporate the marking declaring period of manufacture on the glass bottle from July this year”, AIGMF spokesperson Sanjay Jain said. AIGMF is the sole representative body of all categories of glass manufacturers in India. The basic objectives of the “traceability initiative” are to stop unwarranted usage of recycled bottles for food and beverage and pharma products and protect consumers from the harmful effects of reusing bottles. Traceability in packaging is a world-wide phenomenon and is practised to identify the specific lot of product to be recalled. In developed markets, he said, glass packaging is a one-time phenomenon, but in India reuse of glass bottles is prevalent for soft drinks, beer, liquor, other beverages and food. Mr. Jain said that the marking on the bottles would help manufacturers ensure that their products were packed safely in clean glass containers as well as curtailing illegal manufacture by reducing the usage of unaccounted packaging materials. “With the date of manufacturing marked on the bottle, it will be easier for a manufacturer and a consumer to understand if the bottles are second hand or fresh”, he said. AIGMF will start an extensive consumer awareness effort to communicate its objective. A three-member committee headed by the organisations“ Secretary General will monitor the implementation. The total glass industry is worth INR 45 billion in India and employs over five million people.