Bureau of Indian Standards Issues Draft Specification for Use of Polystyrene with Food Pharmaceuticals and Drinking Water

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has issued a draft Indian Standard for Polystyrene (Crystal and High Impact) to ensure its safe use with food, pharmaceuticals, and drinking water. The standard, a revision of IS 10142, focuses on preventing toxic hazards from polymer additives and impurities. Comments are invited until 13 April 2024.

Addressing Safety Concerns in the Use of Polystyrene

The standard emphasizes the inert nature of polystyrene but recognizes the potential for additives and impurities to migrate into packaged materials, posing risks to consumers over time. It is based on the original standard of 1982 and the first revision of 1999 and is in line with international regulations such as the FDA regulations in the USA and EU directives. This second revision introduces modifications to Clause 4.1 on basic resins and updates cross-referenced standards.

In addition, the standard is designed to complement existing Indian Standards on plastics for food contact applications and to improve quality monitoring of polystyrene materials. It emphasises the importance of using these standards together to ensure consumer safety and health.

Promoting Compliance and Consumer Safety

Polystyrene materials that comply with these standards are considered safe for various applications, including packaging, manufacturing, and processing of food, pharmaceuticals, and drinking water. Compliance with the standards is essential for manufacturers and fabricators of thermoplastic packaging materials as it provides a framework for regulatory compliance and assuring consumer safety.

The draft standard outlines requirements for basic resin, residual monomer content, materials, pigments, total migration, storage, and control. It also defines sampling methods and conformity assessment criteria.

Inviting Stakeholder Input

Interested stakeholders are encouraged to provide feedback on the draft standard, which aims to promote the safe and responsible use of polystyrene materials in contact with consumables.