Overview
Event Details
Please join us on Tuesday, October 20, in Manchester for Chemical Reactions: UK Chemicals Conference 2026. The 3rd edition of our annual conference will offer analysis and insight on the evolving landscape of UK chemicals regulation and policy.
We'll cover four main topics, through presentations and interactive panel discussion:
- the future direction of UK REACH,
- latest developments in GB CLP,
- PFAS policy and regulation,
- the Future of UK Chemicals.
The work of key public sector stakeholders will be discussed, including that of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
This event is a joint initiative by the Chemical Industries Association (CIA) and Steptoe. It is aimed at chemical and product businesses operating in the UK wishing to stay abreast of new developments and building pan-European compliance and market access strategies. Attendees will include policymakers, regulators, public officials and senior product compliance and stewardship professionals.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Please note space at the event is limited. For this reason, consultancy service providers are limited to two registrations per organisation. Register early to secure your spot.
The register button will redirect you to CIA's event page to register. By registering for this event, you understand that Steptoe and CIA will collect and process your personal data, including your name, job title, organisation, and contact details, for the purpose of coordinating the event and sharing event-related communications.
Further information on Steptoe's and CIA's privacy policies can be found at https://www.steptoe.com/en/privacy/index.html, and https://www.cia.org.uk/privacy-policy.
Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. | Registration
9:30 a.m. - 5:15 p.m. | Programme including lunch
5:15 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. | Networking Cocktail Reception
Speakers: Speakers will include CIA, Steptoe LLP, and other key stakeholders.
Fee: £50
Location: Hyatt Regency Manchester | 55 Booth Street West | M15 6PQ | Manchester
Programme
9:00 – 9:30 Registration & Welcome Coffee
9:30 – 9:40 Welcome Address & Introduction
Dr Roger Pullin, Head of Chemicals Policy & Health, CIA
Darren Abrahams, Partner, Steptoe
9:40 – 11:00 Session 1: UK REACH
- ATRm remaining milestones
- Practical actions for implementation
Moderator: Zanda Romata, Senior Associate, Steptoe
Panelists:
Silvia Segna, Senior Chemical Policy Executive, CIA
Neil Hollis, Regulatory Affairs Manager, BASF
Darren Abrahams, Partner, Steptoe
Speaker from DEFRA
11:00 – 11:30 Coffee Break & Networking
11:30 – 12:50 Session 2: Latest Developments in GB CLP
- MCL divergence
- New hazard classes
- Practical and legal challenges
Moderator: Tom Gillett, Associate, Steptoe
Panelists:
Caroline Raine, Caroline Raine Chemical Consultancy
Jennifer Butcher, Hexcel Corporation
Kirsty Eley, CIA
Leo McDaid, Head of Policy, HSE
12:50 – 13:50 Lunch & Networking
13:50 – 14:10 Keynote Address
- Presentation by CIA
Speaker:
TBC
14:10 – 15:30 Session 3: PFAS Policy and Regulation
- EIP
- PFAS Action Plan
- Adoption of EU PFAS restriction
Moderator: Elodie Brière, Associate, Steptoe
Panelists:
Tom Gillett, Associate, Steptoe
Nissanka Rajapakse, Head of Product Stewardship, Johnson Matthey
Speaker from DEFRA
Industry speakers (TBC)
15:30 – 15:50 Coffee Break & Networking
15:50 – 17:10 Session 4: The future of UK chemicals
- How will EU alignment work in practice
- SPS Agreement
- SVHC/Restrictions/etc under REACH
Moderator: Darren Abrahams, Partner, Steptoe
Panelists:
Kathryn (Calvert) Tearle, Regulatory Affairs Manager, BCF
Magdalena Kawa, Senior Regulatory Affairs Manager, UKI & Europe at Arbex
Alzbeta Hermankova, Associate, Steptoe
Speaker from DEFRA
Public Authority Speaker (TBC)
17:10 – 17:15 Closing Remarks
17:15 – 19:00 Networking Cocktail Reception
