What Happened
- A special Division Bench of the Madras High Court comprising Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy has directed that packaged water, salt, and sugar products must carry warning labels about the possible presence of micro or nano plastics.
- The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have been directed to issue an official notification implementing the order within four weeks.
- The warning must be printed in red font of size 10 on product labels.
- FSSAI has been asked to submit a status report by April 10, 2026; initial findings from an FSSAI research project (launched in March 2024 with CSIR-IITR, ICAR-CIFT, and BITS Pilani) confirmed the presence of microplastics in bottled water, salt, and sugar, with iodised salt showing the highest concentrations.
Static Topic Bridges
Microplastics — Definition, Sources, and Health Implications
Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in diameter, while nanoplastics are smaller than 1 micrometre. They enter the food chain through degradation of larger plastic waste, industrial processes, synthetic textiles, and packaging materials. Studies have found microplastics in drinking water, sea salt, honey, seafood, and other consumables worldwide.
- Sources: Primary microplastics (manufactured small, e.g., microbeads in cosmetics) and secondary microplastics (degradation of larger plastics)
- Health risks: Can carry toxic chemicals (BPA, phthalates, heavy metals) that may cause endocrine disruption; trigger inflammation in the digestive system; potential links to inflammatory bowel disease and other gastrointestinal disorders
- A 2024 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found nanoplastics in bottled water at concentrations far higher than previously estimated
- WHO has called for more research on microplastic health impacts but acknowledged the need for reducing plastic pollution as a precautionary measure
- India generates approximately 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually (CPCB data)
Connection to this news: The Madras High Court order is based on preliminary findings from FSSAI-commissioned research confirming microplastic contamination in basic food staples, making India one of the first countries to mandate specific microplastic warning labels on consumer products.
Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and FSSAI's Regulatory Framework
The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act) is India's comprehensive food safety legislation, replacing multiple fragmented laws including the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. The Act established the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as the apex regulatory body for food safety, standards, labelling, and licensing. FSSAI operates under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
- FSS Act, 2006: Enacted to consolidate laws relating to food; covers food safety standards, licensing, labelling, and penalties
- FSSAI: Established under Section 4 of the FSS Act; headed by a Chairperson and a Chief Executive Officer
- Food Safety and Standards (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020: Mandate comprehensive labelling including ingredients, nutritional information, allergen declarations, and vegetarian/non-vegetarian symbols
- FSSAI launched a microplastics research project in August 2024 in collaboration with CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), and BITS Pilani
- Currently, no Indian regulation specifically addresses microplastic contamination limits in food products
Connection to this news: The court order effectively compels FSSAI to create a new labelling requirement for microplastic contamination — an area where no existing regulation exists — demonstrating judicial activism filling a regulatory gap in food safety standards.
Precautionary Principle in Environmental and Health Law
The precautionary principle holds that where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental or health degradation. In India, this principle was established as part of the law of the land by the Supreme Court in Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum v. Union of India (1996), where the Court held that the precautionary principle and the polluter pays principle are essential features of sustainable development.
- International origin: Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration (1992) at the UN Conference on Environment and Development
- Indian judicial adoption: Vellore Citizens Welfare Forum v. Union of India (1996) — Justice Kuldip Singh held the precautionary principle is part of Indian environmental law
- Also applied in M.C. Mehta v. Union of India cases and A.P. Pollution Control Board v. Prof. M.V. Nayudu (1999)
- The principle shifts the burden of proof: those proposing an activity must demonstrate it will not cause harm, rather than regulators proving harm exists
- Article 21 of the Constitution (Right to Life) has been interpreted to include the right to a healthy environment, providing constitutional backing to the precautionary principle
Connection to this news: The Madras High Court applied the precautionary principle in ordering warning labels despite FSSAI's argument that more research is needed — the court held that preliminary evidence of microplastic contamination is sufficient to warrant consumer warnings, even without definitive proof of specific health harm.
Key Facts & Data
- Court: Madras High Court, Division Bench (Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy)
- Products affected: Packaged water, salt, and sugar
- Warning requirement: Red font, size 10, indicating possible presence of micro/nano plastics
- Compliance deadline: Four weeks from the order
- FSSAI status report due: April 10, 2026
- Research partners: FSSAI with CSIR-IITR, ICAR-CIFT, and BITS Pilani (project launched August 2024)
- Key finding: Iodised salt showed the highest concentrations of microplastics among tested products
- Microplastics definition: Plastic particles smaller than 5 mm; nanoplastics: smaller than 1 micrometre
- India's annual plastic waste generation: ~3.5 million tonnes (CPCB)