{"id":368300,"date":"2026-01-20T08:33:27","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T22:33:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=368300"},"modified":"2026-01-20T08:33:27","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T22:33:27","slug":"tattoo-inks-fail-eu-standards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/01\/20\/tattoo-inks-fail-eu-standards\/","title":{"rendered":"Tattoo Inks Fail EU Standards"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Tattoo inks have been found to contain high levels of toxic metals (Photo: Pixabay CC0 1.0)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

January 20, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

All tattoo inks tested recently in Australia by researchers were found to exceed European Union safety standards.<\/p>\n

Researchers found the inks contained toxic metals and other substances including antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, selenium and tin.<\/p>\n

Exceptionally high pigment metal concentrations were also identified, including titanium.<\/p>\n

But despite the findings, the researchers said the results should not be interpreted as evidence that tattoos directly cause harm.<\/p>\n

The study, co-authored by Professor William Alex Donald from UNSW in Sydney, was published in the Journal Of Hazardous Materials.<\/p>\n

It analysed the chemical composition of 15 black and coloured tattoo inks from major international tattoo ink brands bought from Australian suppliers.<\/p>\n

Every ink tested failed current EU safety regulations but the authors said their findings should not cause panic because the study measured chemical composition not health outcomes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The study also did not assess how much of the substances were absorbed by the body or what effects they could have over time.<\/p>\n

Since 2022, the EU has strictly enforced chemical limits for tattoo inks.<\/p>\n

However, Australia has no binding national regulatory framework that aligns with those standards and instead relies on voluntary compliance.<\/p>\n

Surveys have estimated more than 20 per cent of Australian adults have at least one tattoo.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need further targeted studies to confirm the specific chemical forms of some regulated substances,\u201d Prof Donald said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis means examining how inks behave once injected into the skin.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt also means understanding how factors such as ageing, sunlight exposure and tattoo removal might influence long-term exposure.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“So the results are best seen as a signal for closer scrutiny, rather than a verdict on the safety of tattooing itself.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause tattooing is now a mainstream form of body art, regular monitoring and aligning Australia\u2019s standards with international best practice just makes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n

The researchers suggested Australia should introduce routine sampling and testing across brands and batches of inks.<\/p>\n