Lifting spirits
By Steed Webzell
as a cosmetic (hand gel). It points out
that the government has issued new
guidance on producing hand sanitiser,
while temporary changes to the use and
supply of denatured alcohol and dutyfree
spirits have also been introduced.
This is all to do with authorisations. A
Covid-19 section on the CTPA’s website
(www.is.gd/hejoyu) contains information
for both members and non-members
to help interpret the guidance. Other
considerations that need to be taken into
account when making hand sanitiser are
also set out.
“For instance, record demand for
these essential products has created
shortages of ingredients and other
constituent components,” says Meredith.
“We have therefore created the CTPA
Emergency Response Exchange (www.
is.gd/cemabe) to aid the production of
hand sanitiser by matching the needs
of manufacturers with suppliers of
ingredients and other required items.”
RELATIVE EASE
Among those responding to the hand
sanitiser challenge is Louth, Lincolnshirebased
Bottomley Distillers (pictured, right
and below left). Co-founder Amy Conyard
explains: “We were approached by one of
our customers who has stores across the
region, asking if we could supply enough
for its sta and supply chain. As we had
the appropriate licensing to procure the
alcohol and make the product, it seemed
an obvious decision to make, especially
if we were able to help with the national
shortage too.”
She says that adjusting the company’s
processes was relatively easy: “We
moved the distillery around to make
enough space for the required PET
(polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, and
purchased new pumps to ensure that our
blending tanks could deal with the slightly
di erent viscosity of the liquid. We were
then ready to go.
“The biggest di erence in technique
is that sanitiser doesn’t require the
distillation process,” explains Conyard.
“Therefore, the stills are relatively
redundant and it’s just a case of blending
and leaving the mix to sit.” Bottomley is
still producing its own gin and whiskey
spirits, but only on set days. One of
its blending tanks has been retained
as a spirit tank, thus removing any risk
of cross-contamination. Equipment
processes at the distillery are managed
automatically via a PLC (programmable
logic controller) that contains over
18,000 lines of code.
“We’ve produced over 15,000 litres
of hand sanitiser as of June, which has
gone to front line NHS services, care
providers, emergency services and food
supply chains,” adds Conyard. “We will to
continue to produce until the demand is
no longer there.”
CHEMICAL & PROCESS – HAND SANITISER
The Coronavirus crisis has seen UK distilleries, breweries and other plants
pivot to turn their operations to hand sanitiser production. How easy was it
to do in such a short space of time?
H and sanitiser was one of the
rst consumer products to
disappear from supermarket
and pharmacy shelves
during the early days of
the Covid-19 pandemic. However, for
those who were eyeing the opportunity
to begin manufacturing this in-demand
product, there is much to consider, as Dr
Emma Meredith, director general of the
CTPA (Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery
Association), outlines: “Whether you
want to manufacture hand gels or hand
sanitisers in the UK, there are strict rules
that apply to ensure safety and e cacy.”
According to the CTPA, if the sole
purpose of the product is to kill germs,
disinfect or sanitise hands, or prevent
cross contamination, then the product
is a biocide (hand sanitiser). However,
if the function of the product is simply
to clean and/or moisturise hands while
providing a secondary antimicrobial
e ect, then the product can be classed
32 www.operationsengineer.org.uk Autumn 2020
roundex/stock.adobe.com
/hejoyu)
/www.operationsengineer.org.uk
/stock.adobe.com