New Delhi: There has been a surge in substandard chlorinated bags and gloves — key medical supplies — particularly from Malaysia, Thailand, China and Vietnam, officials aware of the matter have said, ahead of an impending quality crackdown.
Such supplies could present a concern for patient safety and environmental harm, these people said, suspecting the import surge by traders to make profits by selling substandered products from the stock before the government is expected to ban these items from the domestic market if they have not been certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
The government has initiated a process to bring these items under a Quality Control Order (QCO) to ban the sale of spurious gloves in the domestic market. A meeting of technical experts on this issue took place on September 4, and a QCO is expected by the end of this month, the officials said, asking not to be named.
Anindith Reddy, a member of the Indian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (IRGMA), said imports of latex and nitrile gloves have jumped in the last two months, with 450 million imported in August alone, according to import data. “These gloves are being flooded in the market impending a potential QCO that has put the scare on the importers,” he said.
Industry data shows imports of these gloves surged by 58.6% to 460 million pieces in August from 290 million pieces in July 2024.
Once the QCO is notified, it will enforce a complete ban on non-certified gloves in the domestic market. QCOs are instruments to check the supply of spurious products in the market and are applicable for both imports and domestically-produced items.
Experts warn that such materials are hazardous for the environment. Siddharth Singh, programme manager at the Centre for Science and Environment, said, “Use of chlorinated plastics is prohibited in healthcare waste management because this waste (in yellow bags) needs to be incinerated in common biomedical waste treatment facilities.”
Singh added, “PVC is a type of chlorinated plastic that can be made from ethylene – a product derived from the oil and gas industry. PVC, like any halogenated plastic, can have a severe effect on air quality if burnt in open spaces and even specialised incineration facilities.”
Swati Singh Sambyal, a waste management expert, warned: “During decomposition or incineration, substandard chlorinated products may release dangerous chemicals, such as dioxins, which are highly toxic and persistent in the environment. These byproducts can contaminate air, water, and soil, affecting ecosystems and human health.”
The IRGMA has been urging the government to bring surgical gloves and single-use medical examination gloves under the Quality Control Order. Despite existing bans, chlorinated gloves and substandard imported rubber gloves continue to be used due to inadequate monitoring and enforcement of regulations.