India's PVC resin imports contain carcinogens up to 5 times safety limits

India faces a significant public health risk from poor-quality polyvinyl chloride or PVC resin imported largely from China for irrigation projects, as it contains carcinogenic compounds at levels up to five times higher than global safety limits, a report by the Centre for Domestic Economy Policy Research (C-DEP.in) said on Thursday.

 

India’s micro-irrigation projects — largely under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, currently estimated at over 9.68 million hectares — rely heavily on PVC pipes, which now constitute over 50 per cent of PVC demand, Dr Jaijit Bhattacharya, president of C-DEP, said in a letter addressed to agriculture secretary Devesh Chaturvedi a few days back.

 

The report, meanwhile launched at IIT Delhi, revealed that imported PVC resin contains high levels of residual vinyl chloride monomer (RVCM), classified as a Category 1A carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

 

PVC currently accounts for nearly 30 per cent of India’s economy, with widespread use in water, sanitation, irrigation, healthcare, construction and infrastructure sectors.

 

The government’s proposed Quality Control Order (QCO) on PVC resin, first notified in August 2024, has been deferred three times and is now scheduled for enforcement in December 2025, the report said.

 

“The Modi government has been championing the Zero Defect, Zero Effect by adopting Quality Control Order. Such a policy step by the government is strengthening consumer safety and industrial standards while promoting exports from India that are dependable and of high quality,” Bhattacharya said. 

 

Speaking at the report launch, Anil Sharma of the Swadeshi Jagran Manch said: “Quality Control Orders should not be limited to finished goods alone, it is equally or more important to cover raw materials, as the quality of a final product is only as strong as the materials that go into it,” according to a statement.

 

The C-DEP research indicates that over 39 overseas players have already procured the required BIS certification to export to India, making BIS-certified capacity 3.4 times the current domestic demand for PVC. Full enforcement of the standard, therefore, would not disrupt supply, the report states.

 

Countries such as the United States, European Union and Thailand regulate RVCM levels in PVC resin within a stringent range of 0.5 parts per million (ppm) to 3 ppm, ensuring safety in water and food-contact applications.

 

India, however, does not yet have a binding national limit on RVCM, which has allowed imports of PVC resin from China with concentrations reported between 5 ppm and 10 ppm.

 

“The Swadeshi Jagran Manch is committed to achieving a self-reliant India. We are focused on prioritising the protection of domestic industries and actively encouraging the use of indigenous products,” Sharma added.