EU member states take action on controls to tattoo inks

On 2012 June 15, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency has implemented a national ban on the use of carcinogenic chemicals in tattoo inks and called for European regulations to ban such products, following findings that certain colours can contain dangerous levels of azo dyes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Besides Denmark’s ban on tattoo inks, in the earlier time of the same week, the Swedish Chemicals Agency indicated that some tattoo inks contain higher levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) than recommended by the Council of Europe, and asked for legislatures on banning hazardous substances in tattoo inks in both Sweden and EU.

In December 2011, Kemi commissioned a German laboratory to analyse 14 tattoo inks purchased online. Eight of the inks had PAH concentrations exceeded the recommended threshold of 0.5ppm. One of the inks was found to contain o-anisidine, which should not be included in tattoo inks, on the basis of recommendations. Other high risks include high concentration of barium or finding of nickel, zinc, and chromium in a few of the inks.

There are two more countries France and Germany having nationally controlled hazardous substances in tattoo inks earlier than the above-mentioned countries.