CHENNAI: With the scheduled opening of a state-of-the art lab in Perungudi in June or July, Chennai is all set to become a hub for testing hazardous goods, according to the Director of Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) N C Saha.
Currently, the testing of hazardous materials is done at the site.
Saha said that the laboratory is part of the `20 crore blueprint for building a five-storied building comprising Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBC), a well equipped transport testing laboratory, classroom with training facilities as well as a library and a multi-purpose hall.
Initially, the institute will construct two floors, including an exclusive lab for testing hazardous chemicals at a cost of `3 crore, added Saha.
“On an average, a total of 10 samples could be tested at the lab,” said Saha. Interestingly, four thousand of the nearly 12,000 UN certificates issued by the Indian Institute of Packaging for export of hazardous chemicals across India are from Chennai.
Saha further said that hazardous chemicals are being exported from Asia to Europe as the developed nations have banned the manufacture of hazardous chemicals in their countries.
He added said that IIP is also planning to offer B Tech and M Tech courses in its Mumbai campus once it is made an Institute of National Importance under an act of Parliament. “It will be similar to IIT. The bill is likely to be passed in the monsoon session. We already have a eight-floor building ready,” he said.
60 students are to be enrolled for B Tech. As for M Tech, courses are to be offered in five disciplines, he said.
Meanwhile, the Chennai centre of the Indian Institute of Packaging is scheduled to organise a national conference on ‘Bulk packaging of Hazardous Goods for Export, UN Certificate and Globally Harmonised System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals’ here on Tuesday.