Following consultation with stakeholders over the summer, the UK Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) has decided to extend the deadline for registering substances with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) under UK REACH, the legislation that replaces EU REACH, by three years. This is subject to consultation with devolved governments in Scotland and Wales. As a result, the new deadlines will be:

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.