Quick answer: The Draft Chemicals (Health and Safety) (Amendment, Consequential and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 represent the most significant overhaul of the UK's chemical regulatory framework since Brexit. The regulations introduce significant changes to biocide approvals, GB CLP classification and cosmetic product restrictions. For cleaning contractors, the most immediate impact is the August 2026 GB CLP reclassification deadline — but the wider regulatory direction is toward stricter classification, labelling and risk assessment requirements across all chemical products used in cleaning operations.
The post-Brexit era has produced a wave of UK-specific chemical safety legislation, and 2026 marks a pivotal year. The Draft Chemicals (Health and Safety) (Amendment, Consequential and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2026 represent the most significant overhaul of the UK's chemical regulatory framework since the country left the EU. The changes cover biocide approvals, CLP classification updates, and the interaction between UK and retained EU regulatory frameworks.
For cleaning contractors, facilities managers, softwash operators and housing associations using chemical products in maintenance operations, the regulatory direction is clear: classification is becoming stricter, labelling requirements are being more rigorously enforced, and COSHH assessments that rely on historical or marketing-led assumptions about product hazard profiles are increasingly non-compliant.
The August 2026 GB CLP reclassification deadline
The most immediate and time-critical change under the 2026 regulatory overhaul is the update to GB CLP hazard classifications coming into force on 15 August 2026. Products that were previously classified at a lower hazard level may be reclassified to a higher one. Products that were borderline for classification may now fall clearly within a hazard category.
For cleaning contractors, this means:
- All COSHH assessments referencing cleaning chemicals and biocidal products must be reviewed against the updated classifications before 15 August 2026
- Suppliers who have not updated their Safety Data Sheets to reflect the August 2026 reclassifications are non-compliant from that date
- Contractor COSHH risk assessments that rely on pre-August 2026 SDSs may be outdated from that date
Further reading: Chemical hazard reclassification August 2026 — what cleaning contractors must do now →
Biocide approvals — increased regulatory scrutiny
The 2026 regulations introduce changes to how biocidal products are approved under the UK Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR). Biocidal products — including disinfectants, mould removal sprays, algaecides used in softwash, and preservatives — require active substance approval and product authorisation before they can be placed on the UK market.
The regulatory direction is toward greater scrutiny of active substance safety data, more rigorous assessment of exposure routes, and stricter controls on what claims can be made about biocidal products in marketing material. Under BPR, biocidal products cannot be described as 'non-toxic', 'harmless' or 'safe' — claims that downplay the product's actual hazard profile are prohibited regardless of where they appear. See: Biocide labelling compliance — why non-toxic claims are non-compliant →
The broader regulatory direction
The 2026 regulations sit within a broader UK post-Brexit regulatory agenda that is tightening chemical safety requirements across the board:
- Stricter classification and labelling — the August 2026 reclassifications are not the last. The UK's chemical regulatory framework is being updated on a rolling basis, and further classification changes are expected. Contractors should treat COSHH assessments as living documents requiring regular review — not one-off exercises.
- Stronger reporting requirements — changes include stronger reporting requirements for chemical storage, use and disposal across industries subject to COSHH.
- PFAS and persistent substances — the regulatory focus on persistent, bioaccumulative substances is increasing. Some cleaning chemical formulations containing PFAS compounds are subject to tightening restrictions.
- SDS accuracy — Safety Data Sheets must reflect current classifications. An SDS that has not been updated since before August 2026 may not reflect the current legal hazard classification of the product.
What cleaning contractors should do
- Review all COSHH assessments before 15 August 2026 — check that the SDSs referenced are current and reflect the August 2026 reclassifications.
- Request updated SDSs from all chemical suppliers — if a supplier cannot provide an SDS updated to reflect August 2026 classifications, treat the product with caution.
- Check biocide marketing claims against SDSs — any product marketed as 'non-toxic' or 'safe' should be checked against its SDS. If the SDS shows hazard classifications, the marketing claim is non-compliant under BPR.
- Treat COSHH assessments as living documents — the regulatory direction is toward regular review cycles, not one-off assessments. Build a review trigger into your COSHH management system linked to SDS updates.
Related guidance
Chemical hazard reclassification August 2026 →
Biocide labelling compliance — why non-toxic claims are non-compliant →
COSHH Regulations 2002 →
Cleaning trade hub →
Social housing hub →
Facilities management hub →
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