On Tuesday, tattoo parlors across the European Union were in chaos as a new rule went into effect that effectively banned several of their most popular inks, which one artist compared to “stealing wheat from a bakery.”
Alternatives to the inks, some of which have been in use for decades, do not currently exist or are in short supply, according to tattoo artists, and the rule is a blow to an industry already reeling from frequent lockdowns.
The rule prohibits the use of some chemicals identified by the EU as harmful, including those associated to cancer, reproductive issues, and skin irritation, and which are used in tattoo inks and permanent make-up combinations.
The rule will go into effect in December 2020, but the industry will have a year to adjust and find alternatives.
According to reporters, star tattoo artist Tin-Tin, who is also the president of the French tattoo industry group SNAT, the new laws will just drive visitors to parlors that do not follow the law.
“It’s really absurd. It’s the equivalent of stealing flour from a bakery; it’s as foolish as that. What are we going to do if we don’t have any colors or ink to work with? “He stated
Manufacturers and artists have had a year to prepare, according to the European Commission, and substitutes are available, with the exception of two pigments for which extra time has been given to discover replacements.
According to the European Chemicals Agency, which is conducting the ink research, at least 12% of the EU’s 450 million citizens, or 54 million people, have tattoos.
By establishing maximum concentration limits for groups of compounds or individual substances present in inks, the EU hopes to harmonize rules across the bloc.
The COVID-19 epidemic, according to Gwenaelle Reaume, secretary of the Tattoo Belgium association, has slowed research and production, and she has asked the government for extra time.
Many of her colleagues’ needles had run dry, she said, despite the fact that her salon had ordered inks from fresh, approved sources on time. Despite this, Anne Keyen, her customer, indicated she was unconcerned about her existing tattoos.
“They put all kinds of things in meals that aren’t good for you, and then they go after tattoo ink. As someone who has tattoos, I admit that I am perplexed by this law “she stated
