Madras High Court Orders Mandatory Microplastic Warning on Water, Salt, and Sugar Packages

Chennai: The Madras High Court has ordered that a warning about the presence of microplastics be issued to consumers on water bottles, salt, and sugar. The Court directed the Union Health Ministry and the FSSAI to display a clear warning in red on the packages of such products.

The order, issued by Justices N. Sathyakumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy, instructs that water bottles should carry the message: “This water may contain micro/nano plastics” in 10-point red letters. Salt and sugar packets should carry a similar warning.

To ensure proper implementation, an official announcement must be issued within four weeks. The Court reviewed research reports documenting the presence of microplastics in water bottles and salt from various popular brands. It observed that storing these products in plastic bottles and packaging poses a serious health risk.

The study reports indicate that microplastics can disrupt hormonal activities in humans and adversely affect the health of children and fetuses. The Court emphasised that public safety is of utmost importance and therefore directed that these warnings be implemented immediately, without waiting for the completion of further studies.