A plan to restrict the use of some 4,000 chemicals used in tattoo inks will be brought to a vote by the middle of next year.
This follows growing concerns that some chemicals used in tattoo inks may cause cancer. According to the Guardian, the proposed restrictions were discussed by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) committees back in June.
As a result, a plan to restrict the use of 4,000 chemicals will be voted on by EU member states before the middle of next year.
Supposing that Brexit actually goes ahead - and that's a whole other story right there, obviously - the UK will not take part in the vote as it won't be a member of the EU from March 2019.
That said, if the law is enforced, it would still be applied here during the 21-month transition period that's been slated for the UK to leave the EU. The exception to that would be if Britain diverged from the EU acquis, which is the body of law made in Brussels.
Before a formal opinion is sent to the European commission by the end of the year. the concerns will be examined for a second time.
"The commission then has three months to prepare a draft decision for the EU member states to vote on," explains Mark Blainey, a senior scientific officer at the ECHA.
"This is likely to happen in mid-2019. The composition of some tattoo inks and permanent makeup raises concerns for public health.
"The most severe concerns are allergies caused by the substances in the inks and the fact that some of the substances might cause cancer, change DNA or be harmful to human reproduction."
Although direct link has been made between the development of cancer and tattoos, the ECHA did report last October how it was 'well known that tattoo inks can and do contain substances of concern such as identified carcinogens and skin sensitisers'.
The report also discovered a link between dermatitis and red ink, due to the product's high content of mercury sulphide.
Labour MP and former minister Gareth Thomas, said: "It is difficult to believe the Government aren't committed to putting in place clear standards to stop the use of chemicals that could cause cancer in tattoo parlours up and down the country."
Featured Image Credit: PixabayTopics: UK News, News, Cancer, Health