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.

The first step in ongoing litigation in the US between Chemours and its parent firm DuPont over the cost of environmental liabilities relating to historic pollution caused by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) went DuPont’s way on 2 April. Chemours has said that it will appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court.

Chemical companies continue to invest in hand sanitiser in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. A large number of them are now producing in significant volumes.

Ineos, the largest European producer of the two key raw materials - isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and ethanol – has announced its intention to produce 1 million bottles of hand sanitiser/month from each of three newly built facilities in the UK, Germany and France.