Govt to make revised quality norms mandatory for caustic soda

The government today announced it will make revised quality standards mandatory for caustic soda for both domestic makers as well as imports.
Caustic soda -- or sodium hydroxide -- is the natural co- product of chlorine production and is widely used in a number of industrial processes like organic chemicals, water treatment, soaps, pulp and paper.
"The revised quality standards, compliant with Bureau of India Standards (BIS) specifications, would necessitate the industry to produce caustic soda using the modern and more energy efficient membrane-based technology," Fertiliser and Chemicals Minister Ananth Kumar said in a statement.
Mandating compliance to revised BIS specifications will allow superior grade caustic soda to be produced and imported in the country which would be beneficial to human health and environment, he said in a meeting with Alkali Manufacturers' Association of India.

This step has been taken to give a boost to the domestic industry under the 'Make in India' programme.
Kumar also assured the industry of the government's continued support for growth of the alkali industry on lines which are congenial to health and environment.
Mostly, caustic soda is being produced using an outdated mercury-based technology which leads to ingress of mercury in the final product and could be harmful to health and environment.