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  • Glasgow PA Laboratory Producing Hand Sanitiser For Front Line Workers



    Scottish female international footballer and member of Glasgow Scientific Services team involved in production of hand sanitiser

    International spirits firm Edrington who produce some of the best-known single malt Scotch Whiskies, including The Macallan, Highland Park, The Glenrothes as well as The Famous Grouse has donated high strength alcohol to Glasgow City Council to allow it to produce hand sanitiser for front line workers during the current Covid-19 crisis.
    Their initial donation will allow around more than 1000 litres of sanitiser to be developed, with more to be supplied in the future to keep up with demand. The sanitiser will be produced by a team of chemical analysts within Glasgow City Council’s Scientific Services and will be provided to council workers like care home staff and refuse collectors, as they deliver essential services across the city.

    The team of chemists are working shifts to mitigate against possible illness, are working flat out to prepare and label 1000 bottles of hand sanitise in around five different sizes from handbag size to a large industrial size, depending on the setting it is used in. The alcohol has to be denatured and mixed with other reagents to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) alcohol rub specifications. There are two basic types that are acceptable, one alcohol-based and the other ethanol based. Both the manufacture and labelling of the sanitiser follow stringent guidelines.

    International footballer Joanne Love, who has been capped for Scotland more than 190 times, and has a day job as a chemical analyst with Glasgow Scientific Services, is part of the team busy creating the hand sanitiser.  Jo said: “I’m glad to be able to do my bit for staff, we all want to get through this pandemic safely. Football fans will know that I was meant to be playing in the qualifying matches for UEFA Women’s EURO 2021. In these difficult times I’m proud to be helping our front-line workers and those they serve.”

    Graham Hutcheon, Edrington’s Managing Director, Group Operations and Chairman of North British Distillery said: “We’re really pleased to donate high strength spirit from North British Distillery to Glasgow City Council to make hand sanitiser that will help front line workers to operate safely in our communities. We’re also delighted to be gifting hand sanitiser to the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, given the Lord Provost’s position as President of the Beatson Cancer Charity.”