Siegwerk’s Bhiwadi plant will be 100% Mineral oil-free with effect from 1st May 2022, making the company the first in India to do so. The move is in line with Siegwerk’s commitment to becoming a positive circular economy driver.
Siegwerk, one of the leading global providers of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels headquartered in Germany, has announced the launch of its ‘Mineral Oil Free Ink’range in the Indian market. Mineral oils as a huge group of chemicals have earned disrepute globally for their bad toxicological profile with several research studies confirming the migration of mineral oils into the food. The uptake of specific mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs) is seen as a potential health hazard, as some saturated mineral oils (MOSH) may accumulate in human tissue while some Aromatic Mineral oils (MOAH) may even cause cancer.
In an exclusive virtual event for the launch of the mineral-oil-free ink line, titled the VEGA series, Siegwerk announced its achievement of 100% food-safe operations in India. The launch marks the transformation of Siegwerk’s Bhiwadi manufacturing unit into a fully mineral-oil-free plant.
While announcing the launch of the Mineral Oil-free Ink range, VEGA, Mr. Ramakrishna Karanth, CEO, Siegwerk India sub-continent said, “In the past few years, scientific journals have published analyses on the hazardous effects of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOHs) and saturated mineral oils (MOSH) in food packaging. The manifold adverse effects make it an issue related to consumer safety and occupational safety. We at Siegwerk nurture and inflexible safety culture with a focused commitment to improving end-consumer and environmental safety. As a market leader for safe inks and as a strong proponent of safety, we have proactively stopped the use of toxic ingredients before any legislation on their prohibition is established. Siegwerk India will henceforth be supplying inks that do not contain mineral oils from its blending centers in India”.
The apex quality and safety regulators in India - the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) have spotlighted the importance of packaging safety through the Food Safety and Standard (Packaging) Regulations, 2018 and its revisions. Even prior to any such legislation, Siegwerk has been an avid advocate of non-toxic inks with an uncompromised commitment toward product safety. Siegwerk’s VEGA line was launched in response to a growing demand for transparency and safer ingredients in packaging products. These inks were designed with the 3 S’s in mind – Safety, Sustainability, and Satisfaction of the customer., Siegwerk has always pledged its alliance to safe inks, discarding hazardous solvents like mineral oils and Toluene, and continue to accelerate its efforts in this direction.
