CHEMUK 2026: why valves and actuators cannot ignore the new chemicals rulebook

CHEMUK 2026 underlines something the valve and actuator community can no longer treat as background noise: chemicals regulation is now a frontline engineering and commercial issue.

A pivotal joint session on “GB chemicals regulation: latest regulatory developments” sees Defra and HSE set out where the post‑Brexit system is heading. Defra will outline the future direction for chemicals management and regulation in Great Britain, aiming for a system that is effective, proportionate and responsive to emerging evidence, with clear opportunities for industry, NGOs and other partners to engage as the work develops. HSE will update on GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP), the GB Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) and the GB Prior Informed Consent (PIC) regime.

For valve and actuator suppliers and users, this is not abstract policy. CLP classifications drive how media are stored, transferred and contained. Biocides rules influence cooling‑water treatment availability. PIC affects feedstock flows. When classifications tighten or substances disappear, engineers must respond with new materials, sealing strategies or process conditions.

The broader CHEMUK programme reinforces three key themes for BVAA and Valveuser readers.

1. UK REACH: risk, cost and opportunity
Sessions on UK REACH and the Alternative Transitional Registration model (ATRm) explain how GB is trying to balance proportionate data demands with diverging from EU REACH. Downstream users – including valve and actuator manufacturers – face complex choices around elastomers, coatings, lubricants and surface treatments. UK REACH should now be treated as a strategic design filter, not just a compliance hurdle.

2. PFAS and group‑based regulation
PFAS‑focused case studies on granular activated carbon and thermal destruction sit alongside a broader look at regulating “groups” of chemicals. PFAS is deeply embedded in seals, gaskets and coatings; tightening rules will reshape specifications and supply. Group‑based regulation, already evident in PFAS and other families, means the chemicals toolbox will shrink faster and less predictably than before.

3. Safety, sustainability and skills
Process safety sessions on reaction hazards and incident preparedness highlight that changes driven by regulation or substitution can invalidate old design assumptions. Sustainability‑oriented talks on bio‑based solvents, energy integration and circular materials show net zero increasingly expressed in concrete materials and process choices. The “Big educational debate” addresses whether the UK has the skills base to deliver all this.

For BVAA members, the message is clear: treat regulation as a primary design input, map your exposure to “at‑risk” chemistries such as PFAS, and engage actively with Defra, HSE and your supply chain. CHEMUK 2026 is not just another event; it is a briefing on the realities that will define your designs and markets over the next decade.

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BVAA is proud to partner with CHEMUK and will be exhibiting on Stand No: H62.

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