KARACHI: Move to stop re-use of ghee, oil containers
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, April 19: The city government has requested the provincial industries department and the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority to take action against ghee and edible oil manufacturers who have been packing their products in used cans.
Sources told Dawn on Wednesday that DCO had made the request in a letter to the secretary industries and the director general of the PSQCA.
They said the city government had been receiving a growing number of complaints about the canisters and tins being reused by certain firms. However, the CDGK was unable to take action against them because there was no provision in the food laws to deal with such case, they added.
The DCO letter read: “The provincial industries department and PSQCA have authority and provision of law under which action can be initiated against those indulged in the use of the used cans and canisters.
“It is requested that all the owners of factories and manufacturers of vanaspati and edible oil be issued directives to stop using the old/re-used tins and canisters for the purpose of re-filling of ghee and oil, failing which action be initiated in the larger public health interest.
“City government shall provide all possible assistance and cooperation in this regard.”
The sources said the CDGK was authorised and empowered to take action in the cases of adulteration/contamination of food and drinks under the provisions of the West Pakistan Pure Food Ordinance-1960. “For this purpose, samples of dubious food and drinks are obtained by CDGK food inspectors for analysing them in laboratory and legal action under the relevant food laws is initiated against offenders accordingly,” they added.
The sources said that thousands of second-hand tins of ghee were being brought in from different parts of the country, mainly from Punjab where a complete ban was enforced on their reuse.
Truckloads of used 17-kg tins arrive here every day and certain ghee manufacturing units purchase them to pack their products after getting them washed and reprinted.
Chairman of the Pakistan Tinplate Merchants Association Haji Tasleem Qureshi said that use of second-hand ghee cans is prohibited under the standard specifications laid down by the Pakistan Standards Institution.
He said the ghee packed in used cans could be harmful to consumer’s health as the washing process involved use of the chemicals which were hazardous to human health.
He said that under the standard specifications, any metal container meant for edibles must undergo tin-coating. “Nowadays, even tin-free steel (TFS) is being used in manufacturing new ghee canisters, which is a violation of the standard specifications,” he added.
According to reports, a 40-50 per cent decline has been noticed in the sale of fresh tin-coated plate suitable for use in packing ghee.
The sources said that those involved in the recycling business were collecting the empty ghee cans from the restaurants, hotels, bakeries and sweet meat dealers.
According to a ghee manufacturer, most of the ghee companies are using the recycled cans because it costs them Rs40-45 per piece as against the rate of Rs68 for a fresh one. As such, they are also able to reduce the price of their product.
It may be recalled here that the Sindh High Court has already ordered ghee manufacturers not to resort to packing their products in used cans.
