Hyderabad: The Central Food Safety and Standards Authority has made amendments to the packaging regulations by imposing a complete ban on the use of plastic, plastic lamination, and aluminium foil in paan masala packaging.
Calling it “a crucial decision in the direction of public health and environmental protection,” Hyderabad Police Commissioner VS Sajjanar wrote on X on Wednesday, August 12, “This decision will reduce chemical reactions and the risk of microplastics that occur due to storage in plastic pouches, protecting public health.
“At the same time, it will curb the waste from millions of non-recyclable plastic sachets that clog roads and drains, bringing immense benefits to the environment,” he said.
According to the FSSAI notification that Sajjanar shared, the suggested packaging materials are: paper, paper board, cellulose or other naturally derived materials which are free of any plastic, including, but not limited to polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), or any synthetic polymers, copolymers, or laminates, and also free from aluminium foil or metallised layers.
The approved packaging can be of tin or glass containers, said the notification.
‘Everyone a stakeholder in clean society’
“Manufacturers and traders must strictly adhere to these new guidelines. Everyone must be a stakeholder in a clean, healthy society!” tweeted Sajjanar.
The police have been doing their part by cracking down on paan shops. Earlier, in April, to check the sale of nicotine-based substances to schoolchildren, police conducted search operations at more than 550 paan shops located near educational institutions across Hyderabad under the Operation Safe School programme.
