The UK government has begun a consultation period with chemical suppliers, downstream users and other stakeholders on a planned alternative transitional registration model (ATRm) for the implementation of UK REACH. This follows many months of analysis by ministries and agencies and will run to 11 July, one week after a General Election that appears certain to see a change of government.

The UK’s Chemical Business Association (CBA) held its annual lunch, universally known as the ‘Floggers’ Lunch’ at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on 26 April, marking the 100th anniversary of its establishment in 1923. It also saw the end of Kate Mingay’s tenure as the first female chair in the association’s history.

The UK speciality chemicals industry lost one of its leading lights on 17 December 2022, when Dr David Karsa passed away after suffering severe organ failure.

A chemist by training, David ran his consultancy, TensioMetrics, from his Stockport home for over 50 years while  writing several well-regarded books on surfactants in the Sheffield Annual Surfactants Review and the Applied Surfactant Series. He also co-authored books on both surfactants and biocides.

The UK’s Chemical Business Association (CBA) has written to various government ministers, warning that “the supply chain situation in the UK is deteriorating” because of the continuing and deepening shortage of HGV drivers.

UK distributors hit by driver shortage The Chemical Business Association (CBA), which represents chemical distributors and logistics services providers in the UK, has again highlighted the chronic shortage of HGV drivers since Brexit. This, they said in a letter to the Secretaries of State for Transport and Business “has reached a critical point for the UK chemical supply chain”.