The EU REACH regulation has been updated again!

Additional restricted items in Annex 17 of REACH

On 15 December 2020, the EU issued a new regulation (EU) 2020/2081, which amended annex 17 of REACH regulation and added a new restriction item to limit the amount of toxic and harmful substances in tattoo ink or permanent cosmetics.The new rules will take effect 20 days after their release.The 75 items in annex 17 to REACH regulate the use of various chemicals in consumer goods.

Potential hazards in tattoo products

According to European Union research, the number of people with tattoos or permanent make-up, especially among young people, has been steadily increasing.Procedures used for tattoos or permanent makeup, whether using needles or other techniques such as microblades, inevitably compromise the skin barrier.As a result, the ink or other mixture used for the tattoo is absorbed into the body.The mixture used for tattooing usually consists of colorants and auxiliaries such as solvents, stabilizers, wetting agents, pH regulators, emollients, preservatives and thickeners.Within a few hours or a few days, the soluble components of these compounds will be transported to all parts of the body as the blood circulates, so that the skin and other organs will be exposed to these soluble substances for a long time.Therefore, it is very important to limit the content of toxic and harmful substances in tattoo products.

Substances restricted under the New Regulation (EU) 2020/2081

The new Regulation (EU) 2020/2081 stipulates that tattoo products shall not contain the following substances:

a. (EC) Regulation No 1272/2008 is classified as any of the following substances:

    1. Carcinogens class 1A, 1B or 2, or germ cell mutagenesis class 1A, 1B or 2, but does not include any such substances classified solely as a result of the effects of inhalation exposure

    2. Reproductive poisons, class 1A, 1B or 2, but excluding any such substance classified solely as a result of the effects of inhalation

    3. Categories 1, 1A or 1B of skin sensitizers

    4. Skin corrosion Category 1, 1A, 1B or 1C or skin irritation category 2

    5. Severe eye injury category 1 or eye irritation category 2

b. (EC) Substances listed in Annex 2 to regulation No 1223/2009

c. (EC) Substances listed in Annex 4 to regulation No 1223/2009, and in columns G, H and I of that annex table, at least one of which provides for conditions

d. The substances listed in Appendix 13 of this annex.

From the above types of restricted substances can be seen in the Eu tattoo product safety of the importance of the degree.In addition to carcinogenic, mutagenic, reproductive toxicity, sensitization, damage and other substances, the content of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, nickel, and certain pigments and benzenes are also limited.To give the industry plenty of time to prepare, the restrictions will take effect on January 4, 2022.

REACH Regulation

REACH stands for registration, assessment, authorization and restriction of chemicals. It is an EU regulation that came into force on 1 June 2007 with the aim of improving the protection of human health and the environment.In principle, REACH applies to all chemicals.These chemicals are not only used in industry, but also in our daily life, such as cleaning products, paints, clothes, furniture and electrical appliances.As a result, the regulation affects most businesses that sell in the EU.REACH places the burden of proof on companies, which must identify and manage the risks associated with the substances and articles they produce and sell in the EU in order to comply with the regulations.They must explain to the ECHA how to use the substance safely and must communicate risk management measures to the user.

GST reminds relevant enterprises to pay attention to the environmental protection laws and regulations in eu and other countries to meet the latest legal requirements and avoid legal disputes. You can also follow our WeChat public account, and we will update the laws and regulations in the first place.GST has a professional technical team that can track the latest developments of regulations and standards and help you develop the most comprehensive and economical compliance solutions.If you have any questions about REACH or other product compliance, please feel free to contact us.