BIS Notification for Caustic Soda to Eliminate Imports of Non-Membrane Material

The Government of India has noti-fied the Bureau of Indian Standard (Caustic Soda) Order, 2018. The notification was issued on April 3, 2018 and came into effect from the date of publication in the gazette, i.e. April 3, 2018.

In effect the notification of the standard will eliminate from the Indian market imports of caustic soda produced by any manufacturing process other than the membrane cell process. Domestic manufacturers of caustic soda are not likely to be affected by the notification as all operational capacity in the country is based on energy-efficient and environmentally friendly membrane technology, and not through the older mercury-cell or diaphragm cell processes.

Caustic soda is the first chemical to be notified for mandatory certification by the Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals.

According to the Alkali Manufacturers Association of India, this has been a long-pending demand of the domestic industry to provide a level-playing field against inferior imports of caustic soda produced through mercury-cell and diaphragm technologies.