The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has revealed that about 2,900 registrations of 268 chemicals by UK-based manufacturers, importers and only representatives under REACH have now been revoked and become void, because a transfer from a UK- to a EU-based registrant was not started by the end of the transition period on 31 December 2020.

This equates to about 3% of all registrations and about 1% of all registered substances. Of these, about 60% were registered only for intermediate use, meaning that the market impact of their registration being revoked will be limited.

ECHA has announced that all REACH registrations submitted by UK-based manufacturers, importers and only representatives that have not gone through all the steps required to complete the registration, both by the registrant and the agency by 31 December, will not be processed further. This date marks the end of the transition period for the UK’s departure from the EU.

Anita Lloyd and Nicola Smith, directors in the Environmental, Safety & Health Group of Squire Patton Boggs, look at the key issues for companies starting to manufacture or import hand sanitiser

Many companies are looking at modifying their production lines and/or utilising spare capacity to manufacture hand sanitiser, which is in short supply due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Others may be looking into importing this product into the UK for the first time.