Tritech responds to SGX's queries over its sanitiser and cleaning product

IN RESPONSE to queries from the Singapore Exchange (SGX) regarding its newly developed sanitiser and cleaning product, Tritech Group on Tuesday said it had written to three government public-health agencies to obtain their approval and clearance for the manufacture and sale of the product.

Based on the responses the group received from the National Environment Agency (NEA), the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA), its board of directors concluded that the agencies had given their in-principle approval for the manufacture and sale of the product, given that they either said they had no objections or did not require the company to obtain specific licences.

On Sept 14, Tritech announced that it had expanded to the sanitiser and disinfectant industry with its proprietary product called VaVie Clean Wash Sanitize (CWS), which was developed using the group's water and membrane technology.

In a statement, it said that NEA, HSA and SFA had "in principle approved the manufacture and sales of the CWS product in Singapore as the ingredients were classified as non-hazardous and of food-grade quality".

Following this statement, NEA contacted the group by e-mail on Sept 17, asking it to clarify its statement, which then led to Tritech's clarification on Sept 18.

In this second statement, the group clarified that it "should not be implied that NEA, SFA or HSA authorised or endorsed the CWS product".

Tritech added that NEA had informed the group that "no hazardous substances licence or permit from (the agency) was required for the import, export, local sale, buy locally, store and use" of the CWS product; HSA said no clearance was needed from its end for the import or supply of the product as hand sanitisers did not need approval by the agency. SFA said it had "no objection to the use of the CWS product to wash fruit and vegetables".

The group said on Tuesday that its CWS product appears in the list of household products on NEA's website (for surface disinfection of Covid-19), which the NEA e-mail clarified was meant to provide a reference source for the general public, and did not represent approval for the manufacture and sale of the product.

The company added that its Sept 14 statement was to inform shareholders and the public that the group had obtained clearance from the relevant government agencies for the manufacture and sale of its product.

"It was not the intention of the company to mislead or give the impression that such agencies had authorised or endorsed the product."

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