GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1219
TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH FEBRUARY, 2024
ADVERSE IMPACT OF PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE
†1219. SHRI GHANSHYAM SINGH LODHI:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether drinking water from plastic water bottles is dangerous in the country and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether there are any reported adverse impact of bottled water across the country and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether nano plastic particles have been found in plastic water bottles across the country and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to ban/stop bottled water and to find an alternative in this regard?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (d): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) established under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 functions as the regulatory authority for ensuring quality of food for human consumption, including Packaged Drinking Water. As informed by FSSAI, packaged drinking water shall meet the specifications provided under Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulation, 2011. Also, plastics food contact materials used for packaging of packaged drinking water shall comply with the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulation, 2018.

Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulation, 2018 specifies that Drinking Water (both Packaged and Mineral Water) shall be packed in colourless, transparent and tamper-proof bottles or containers made of polyethylene (PE) conforming to IS:10146 or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) conforming to IS:10151 or polyalkylene terephthalate (PET and PBT) conforming to IS:12252 or polypropylene (PP) conforming to IS:10910 or food grade polycarbonate conforming to IS:14971 or polystyrene conforming to IS:10142 or sterile glass bottles only. Also, all packaging materials of plastic origin are required to pass the prescribed overall migration limit as per IS: 9845 & specific migration limits specified in Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulation, 2018.