Pharmaceutical exporters, both bulk drugs and formulations, in the country can now get the mandatory UN packaging certification for their products from Hyderabad by early June. The Indian Institute of Packaging, Hyderabad will be the nodal agency for issuing the certificate.

Disclosing this to Pharmabiz, B K Karna, deputy director, IIP said that, UN logo on outer package to indicate that the content is under dangerous category is a mandatory requirement for export and carriage of risky materials by sea and air. "We entered into an agreement with the UN body to issue the certificate on their behalf at Hyderabad for products exported from India," he said.

'For the last 15 years, Indian Institute of Packaging is the competent authority to give the packaging certification in accordance to UN norms under the approval of Director General of Shipping (Sea Transport) and director general of civil aviation (Air Transport). IIP-Head office at Mumbai is already having such an agreement. As far as IIP-Hyderabad is concerned, it is the new centre of IIP. We have installed testing equipments more than Rs1.5 crore worth for rendering the services to the industries,' said Karna.

The institute will collect the sample package from the exporters followed by stringent laboratory level examinations. Certificate will be issued to manufacturer/dealer of packages irrespective of the number of packages being made, subject to the performance of samples. The certified packaging shall have UN marking as indicated in the certificates, so that only certified packaging are loaded on to air cargo or sea cargo. The facility is expected to be functional soon and also start issuing the certificate to concerned industries from May 2007, he said.

Currently, the exporters of pharmaceutical products are compelled to approach the IIP centres in Mumbai and Chennai to get the UN packaging certificate. The upcoming service at IIP-Hyderabad it is expected to be beneficial to the industry to a large extent. As of now IMDG Regulation and IATA regulations are enforced by Directorate General of Shipping and Director General of Civil Aviation respectively from the country.

According to Karna, some of the bulk drugs fall under the Dangerous Goods Regulation. Approximately Rs. 1200 crore of bulk drugs are being exported from Hyderabad where packaging are playing significant role. The exporter can visit the institute and collect required information for cost effectiveness and transport worthiness. The institute's laboratory is well equipped as per the IMDG and DGCA norms. The DGCA authority is like to visit for inspection the lab soon.

It is also likely that the institute would also extend its one week certificate programme in pharmaceutical packaging to a six month or one year course. 'We had conducted first programme during early January of this year and we have had very good response. Pharmexcil has supported this event. Dr Appaji, had assured that pharmexcil will bear 50 per cent of the fee for the participants who would be from the member company of Pharmexcil. One week programme under IIP-Hyderabad is the annual programme, he said.