Worried About Irritation To Cancer, The European Union Imposes A Tattoo Ink Ban

Tattoo illustration. (Pexels/cottonbro)

JAKARTA - Tattoo studios across the European Union are in crisis, as the European Union imposed a ban on many popular inks in early January, with artists describing it as 'taking flour from a bakery'.

Tattoo artists say alternatives to ink, some of which have been in circulation for decades, either don't exist or are in short supply, and the law deals a blow to an industry already reeling from repeated COVID-19 lockdowns.

The law limits the use of certain chemicals that the European Union says are dangerous, some of which are linked to cancer, reproductive difficulties to skin irritation, and those found in tattoo ink and permanent make-up mixtures.

The law was agreed in December 2020 but the industry was given a year to adjust and look for alternatives.

Star tattoo artist Tin-Tin, who heads the French tattoo industry union SNAT, told Reuters the new rules would only push people into homes that didn't respect the law.

"Ridiculous. It's like taking flour from the bakery, stupid. If we didn't have color or ink to work with, what would we do?" he said, citing Reuters on January 5.

The European Commission said producers and artists had a year to prepare and alternatives existed, except for two specific pigments, for which more time was given to find replacements.

Meanwhile, the European Chemical Agency, which is behind the ink research, says at least 12 percent of the EU's 450 million citizens, so at least 54 million people, have tattoos.

The European Union intends to harmonize laws across the bloc, by setting maximum concentration limits for the group of substances or individual substances found in the ink.

Gwenaelle Reaume, secretary of the Belgian Tattoo association, said the COVID-19 pandemic had delayed research and production, asking the government for more time.

While his salon studio had ordered ink from a new approved supplier on time, many of his colleagues' needles had dried up, he said. However, her client Anne Keyen says she isn't too worried about the existing tattoo.

"They put all kinds of things that are not good for health in food, and then they go after tattoo ink. I admit, as a tattooed person, I do not understand this law," he said.