India's Public Health at Risk: The Alarming Threat from PVC Resin Imports

A report by C-DEP warns that India's public health is at risk from imported PVC resin with high levels of carcinogenic chemicals. It highlights the need for enforcing the Quality Control Order and strengthening domestic standards to ensure safety and competitiveness in global markets.

India's public health is under threat due to the import of substandard PVC resin containing high concentrations of cancer-causing chemicals, warns a report by the Centre for Domestic Economy Policy Research (C-DEP.in). The report, released at IIT Delhi, identifies Residual Vinyl Chloride Monomer (RVCM) from China as a significant concern, with levels up to five times the global safety limit.

The Modi government's Quality Control Order (QCO) aims to uphold safety and industrial standards in India, according to Jaijit Bhattacharya, President of C-DEP.in. While the QCO for PVC resin was proposed by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals in 2024, its enforcement has been delayed, but it is now expected by December 2025.

Advocates such as Anil Sharma from the Swadeshi Jagran Manch stress the importance of applying quality controls not just to finished goods but also raw materials. This holistic approach is necessary to safeguard public health and ensure fair competition for domestic industries. The report emphasizes that complying with QCO will enhance India's position globally without disrupting supply chains, given that 39 international firms are already BIS-certified to export to India.

(With inputs from agencies.)