New Delhi: The Indian Rubber Gloves Manufacturers Association (IRGMA) in its latest bid to mitigate safety and health risks of medicos has sought directives through communications to the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change to ban the import of chlorinated gloves and has also notified the Customs (Imports) Department of the violation of bio-waste disposal rules by importers especially of the phased out chlorinated gloves, and non-compliance of gloves manufacturers sending chlorinated gloves to India, some making way into India spuriously. IRGMA is seeking the use of only BIS Approved Gloves, through GEM, for Government Hospitals, conforming to the consideration and implementation of QCO (Quality Control Order) aligned with MDR 2017 Compliance of CDSCO Gazette Notification which was to come into effect from 1st Oct 2022.
In their communications to the aforesaid authorities, IRGMA has brought to notice that the Central Pollution Control Board had issued a letter to phase out the use of chlorinated gloves by 27th March 2019; that West Bengal State Pollution Control Board has issued directives to ban the use of chlorinated gloves and that CPCB has issued directive not to allow imports in violation of guidelines that ban chlorinated gloves.
In yet another communication to the Malaysian Rubber Council, IRGMA has specified that chlorinated gloves of all kinds are not allowed by the Indian authorities owing to violation of the guidelines, and that they do not require test to be validated in the view of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India, and Biomedical Waste Rules 2016.
In their communication to AIIMS, IRGMA has issued a disclaimer to ensure that the healthcare industry procures the right quality of Disposal, Latex and Nitrile gloves to comply with the expected standards and rules prevalent.
The continuation of spurious import of examination gloves has serious safety and health risks. Many countries (US and Europe) have already banned the use of powdered, coated Nitrile Gloves, in their respective countries. The procurement of BIS Approved Gloves is very convenient because there are already many BIS certified companies manufacturing the gloves, and these companies are capable of supplying the quality product to the Hospital Staff and hospitality.