Case agst PET packaging to favour glass industry, NGT told

An outfit representing PET container manufacturers today moved the National Green Tribunal against an NGO's plea for a ban on use of PET pacakaging, alleging that it was motivated by interests of the glass industry and not environmental concerns.
The NGO had sought the ban saying such packaging leached harmful chemicals such as phthalates and heavy metals into the items.
The PET Container Manufacturers Association (PCMA) told a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar that the instant case is a motivated petition filed at the behest of business rivals of the plastic industry for their commercial interest.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi mentioned the matter before the green panel and sought urgent hearing saying the NGO Him Jagriti Uttaranchal Welfare Society's plea was liable to be dismissed

"PCMA states that the applicant (NGO) had intentionally suppressed the fact that its President is a consultant to the glass manufacturing industry. The present proceedings are not bonafide proceedings and not based on environmental concerns but commercial interests of the glass industry.
"PCMA has now become aware of emails exchanged between various NGOs including the applicant and senior officials of Hindustan National Glass and Industries Ltd. This email clearly demonstrates that Him Jagriti is merely a front and the real petitioner in the instant case is Hindustan National Glass and Industries Ltd and that this petition is therefore a motivated petition filed at the behest of business rivals of the plastic industry for their private interest," the plea alleged.

The matter is listed for hearing on October 24.
An expert committee constituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has earlier told the Tribunal that there is no conclusive proof that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles used for packaging medicines have ill effects on human health.
The panel, set up by the Health Ministry in August last year under the chairmanship of M K Bhan, had said that PET can be used safely as a packaging material for drugs under a regulatory system and process.