India lacks standards to test microplastics: CPCB

Bengaluru: India does not have standards for specification, sampling, or testing of microplastics in drinking or river water, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has said.

The CPCB said its laboratory currently lacks the analytical and infrastructural capacity to test microplastics in water samples, and had explored outsourcing the work to specialised agencies.

However, in the absence of standardised sampling and analysis methods, results generated using existing research methodologies may not be reliable for regulatory or legal purposes, it noted.

Earlier this month, the CPCB wrote to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) seeking standards for microplastics in river and drinking water, along with protocols for sampling and analysis.

In response, BIS said no such Indian standards currently exist, but added that it is considering developing standards for microplastics in drinking water and wastewater, with two standards — on sampling and analysis — under review.

Meanwhile, BIS said it has sought nationwide datasets from the past five years to support a revision of drinking water specifications (IS 10500: 2012), including data on contaminants such as microbiological and chemical parameters, pesticides, heavy metals, radioactive substances, and emerging pollutants like PFAS and microplastics.

The Central Ground Water Board said it does not have data on microplastics testing, and is awaiting inputs from the Ministry of Jal Shakti and other agencies.