The Bureau of Indian Standards is considering setting standards for plastic toys and prevent dumping of plastics, said Food and Civil Supplies Minister U.T. Khader, who is a member of the BIS Governing Board, here recently.
Mr. Khader said having standards for plastic toys and mobile phone batteries were among issues discussed at the first meeting of the BIS Governing Council held recently in New Delhi. The meeting was chaired by the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs Ram Vilas Paswan.
Mr. Khader said it will be a challenge to have hallmarks on ornaments and articles made of gold, silver and other precious metals. The new act proposes to make hallmarking of gold and other precious metals mandatory. The Governing Council discussed strengthening laboratories for hallmarks and allowing jewellers self-declaration of quality of products. “But jewellers will be penalised if the products are not found as per standard during inspection,” he said.
The BIS was working on hallmarking of ornaments made using 24 carat gold. Presently, hallmarking was for ornaments made from 14, 18 and 22 carat gold. The BIS was also working on setting standards for buildings coming up in smart cities, he said.
