In response to the pandemic, HSE took steps to assist industry’s efforts to increase the availability of hand sanitisers to help reduce the spread/transmission of COVID-19. In UK, as also happened in many other countries, was established a transitory arrangement that enable short-term derogations from the normal Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) requirements for product authorisation.
From the gathered information on the currently availability of hand sanitisers on the UK market, HSE has established that the current demand can be met by products supplied under the normal arrangements in BPR. This means that the special arrangements for supplying hand sanitiser products, put in place at the beginning of the pandemic, will be discontinued.
The hand sanitiser products that have already been granted a permit can continue to be supplied and used until that permit expires, meanwhile new businesses wishing to supply hand sanitiser products should comply with the normal requirements for getting a biocidal product on the UK market. Businesses remain able to apply for individual critical situation permits under BPR; however, they will need to demonstrate that the relevant criteria required by Article 55 (1) of BPR are met.