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.

The UK government has extended the deadline for chemicals companies to register their products with the new ‘UK REACH’ system from up to two years to up to six, depending on tonnage and hazard. The new system will come into force on 1 January, following the Brexit transition period.

The European Commission has completed its annual review of chemicals subject to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) Regulation, based on developments in EU law and the Rotterdam Convention. As a result, 22 substances have been added to the list of those where exporters are required to notify their designated national authority at least days before exporting them as a product or in mixtures, as of 1 September. In 20 cases, consent from the importing country is also needed.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published two reports on the direct and indirect effects of REACH in driving the substitution of hazardous chemicals with safer alternatives. This was based on a survey of industry associations and over 80 companies, many of which had been affected by REACH processes.

Dr Russel Walters, freelance scientist at Kolabtree, shares his expertise on how to start manufacturing a hand sanitiser quickly, easily and compliantly

In order for a virus to infect a human host, the host needs to be exposed to a sufficient viral load, typically hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of viral particles. Hand sanitisers dramatically reduce the viral load on the skin and therefore can reduce infections or perhaps infection severity.

DSM, Bayer, Symrise, Henkel and Takasago International are among 155 companies signing a joint release by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), the UN Global Compact, and the We Mean Business coalition. This urged governments “to align their Covid-19 economic aid and recovery efforts with the latest climate science” and “prioritise a faster and fairer transition from a grey to a green economy”, with net zero carbon emissions.

Six days after the US and the UK began formal negotiations for a post-Brexit bilateral trade deal on 5 May, representatives from the respective industry associations, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the Chemical Industries Association (CIA) jointly published some comments outlining their priorities.

“With the uncertainty swirling around Brexit and the COVID-19 crisis, a trade agreement between the UK and the USA will help ensure both countries maintain critical market access during this unprecedented and challenging time,” said Steve Elliott, chief executive of the CIA.