The UK’s Chemical Industries Association (CIA) and the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) have expressed their regret at the continued uncertainty over Britain’s future in or out of the EU.

Some of the world’s largest chemicals firms have helped to found the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), which describes itself as “an alliance of global companies from the plastics and consumer goods value chain … to advance solutions to eliminate plastic waste in the environment, especially in the ocean”.

Nouryon, the former AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals, has launched the third edition of its ‘Imagine Chemistry’ collaborative innovation challenge, under which start-ups, scale-ups, university spin-outs and other potential partners are invited “to tackle chemistry-related challenges and uncover new ways to create value for customers”

NGO Cruelty Free International has launched a European-wide petition to stop the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) from “unlawfully flouting European cosmetics animal testing bans”.

Naheed Rehman, business lead consultant at Envigo, assesses the ongoing Brexit challenge