PET bottles harmless to human health: SGS test results claim

PET Container Manufacturer's Association (PCMA) today said the results of the tests conducted by SGS did not find any leaching of heavy metals, formaldehyde, endocrine disruptors, colors etc in PET containers used in packaging of various substances.
PCMA had recently engaged SGS, a leading industrial research firm, to conduct rigorous tests to find out the facts that whether packaging of pharmaceutical and food products results in leaching or contamination in PET (polyethylene terephthalate) containers.
PCMA said it had engaged SGS after a series of allegation levied by a few NGOs stating that packaging of pharmaceutical products in a PET container is harmful to human health due to leaching of heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, colors and formaldehyde.

SGS conducted the test using one of the most stringent test methods, certified by Commission Regulation (EU). The tests revealed PET packaging is safe for human health as the tests results were well below permissible limits.
"To determine overall migration, the PET bottles were filled with acetic acid, Iso-Octane, ethanol and water, stored for 10 days at 40 degree centigrade temperature. The results showed overall migration was way under permissible limits," PCMA said in a statement here.
"SGS also conducted tests to find out migration of heavy metals by storing 3 per cent acetic acid at 40 degree centigrade for ten days. The results showed that there was no migration of metals, such as Barium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Lithium, Manganese and Zinc. Hence the allegations of leaching of heavy metals at high temperatures are baseless," it added.

In the test to know specific migration Formaldehyde the similar content and in the similar conditions (10 days at 40 degree temperature) were stored and there was no migration detected. Even the test to find out migration of Terephthalic Acid in similar conditions (10 days at 40 degree temperature) detected no migration.