The Director of Beverage, Tobacco, and Refreshment Industries at the\nMinistry of Industry, Merrijante Punguan Pitaria, has asserted that the\npublic should not be anxious about using reusable gallons, as bottled\nwater products (AMDK) are strictly monitored through national standards,\nperiodic audits, and sanitation oversight before being reused.<\/p>\n
She emphasised that AMDK, including reusable gallons, must comply\nwith the Indonesian National Standard (SNI) and are routinely supervised\nby the government. \u201cAMDK products are subject to mandatory SNI, with\nquality parameter monitoring and testing conducted through regular\nsurveillance audits to ensure safety at the consumer level,\u201d said\nMerrijanti.<\/p>\n
This oversight is conducted in accordance with various food safety\nregulations and quality standards, including the provisions in the\nMinister of Industry Regulation Number 62 of 2024. Merrijanti explained\nthat specifically for reusable gallons, every container returning to the\nfactory must undergo physical inspection, washing, sanitation, and\nquality control before being refilled and redistributed. \u201cEvery reused\ngallon must undergo a sanitation and quality control process. The\nindustry also checks the physical condition and age of the gallon before\nreuse,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
She maintained that any gallon failing to meet the standards will not\nbe redistributed. The AMDK industry also possesses a decommissioning\nmechanism to withdraw packaging deemed unfit for use. \u201cIf the condition\nof the packaging is no longer suitable for circulation to consumers, it\nwill not be reused and will be decommissioned,\u201d she stated.<\/p>\n
In addition to government oversight, various academic studies have\ndemonstrated the safety of using reusable gallons produced by official\nindustries. Research from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) and\nthe University of Sumatera Utara (USU) indicates that Bisphenol A (BPA)\nlevels in water within reusable gallons are either undetectable or well\nbelow the safe thresholds set by regulators.<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) has also previously\naffirmed that all food packaging circulating in Indonesia, including\npolycarbonate reusable gallons, remains safe to use as long as they meet\nthe established BPA migration limits. BPOM sets the maximum BPA\nmigration limit at 0.6 ppm (parts per million) in accordance with\napplicable food safety standards.<\/p>\n
BPOM also stated that BPA exposure is not limited to a specific type\nof packaging, as the compound can be found in various everyday products,\nincluding the linings of food and beverage cans. Therefore, supervision\nis based on safe migration limits rather than merely the type of\npackaging material.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Industry also highlighted the importance of\nmonitoring distribution outside official industrial channels,\nparticularly the use of branded AMDK gallons by refill depots that\noperate outside the control of the original producers. According to\nMerrijante, the use of branded AMDK gallons by refill depots makes it\nmore difficult for the industry to control the physical condition of the\ngallons in the field. \u201cThis causes the circulation of gallons in the\ncommunity to become uncontrollable by the AMDK industry, both in terms\nof physical condition and quality,\u201d she noted.<\/p>\n
Amidst the rise of information causing public concern regarding\nreusable gallons, the government maintains that AMDK products produced\nby official industries remain under strict supervision and must meet\nfood safety standards before reaching consumers. Oversight is conducted\nfrom packaging materials, production processes, sanitation, and\ndistribution, through to periodic audits to ensure products remain safe\nfor public consumption.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/government-ensures-reusable-water-gallons-are-safe-for-use-1780833675", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }