All hands to the sanitizer pump

More chemical firms—including Arkema, Dow, Ineos, and Huntsman—say they are preparing facilities in Europe to increase the production of hand sanitizer needed during the COVID-19 epidemic. Ineos has given itself 10 days to build a plant near Middlesbrough, England, with capacity for 1 million bottles per month of sanitizer made with isopropyl alcohol and ethanol. The company says it will do the same in Germany. Ineos, the largest European producer of the two alcohols, says it will make the sanitizer available to medical services and the public. Arkema has turned over a pilot production line in Jarrie, France, to make hand sanitizer. Huntsman says it has responded to an urgent appeal by Swiss authorities and will make up to 5 metric tons (t) per week at its plant in Monthey, Switzerland. And Dow has started producing up to 15 t per day of hand sanitizer at its plant in Stade, Germany. Dow also has plans to repurpose a US facility to make sanitizer.