Memorial tattoo with ashes of deceased-what you need to know about it

James Hetfield did it. The front man of Metallica got a tattoo that contains the ashes of his late friend, Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead. A souvenir that gets under your skin. Hetfield is by no means the only one with such a commemorative tattoo. The tattoos have been offered in the United States for years. And in Germany you can now be tattooed with ink that contains the ashes of deceased – but deceased pets. But is that allowed at all? And how clean is ash ink?

When it comes to tattoos and right, Urban Slamal is a sought -after conversation partner. The lawyer is an expert in the field and makes it clear that, unlike in the USA, the use of ink with ashes of deceased in the European Union is not allowed. The funeral guidelines in Germany are strict. The rest of the dead must not be disturbed, so no ashes may be removed from the urn. However, such EU-wide regulations do not exist for dead pets. However, there are strict guidelines regarding the tattoo color.

“What you certainly can’t do is to take some tattoo color, tip ashes and hope that this is still a legal color”so Slamal. Because tattoo ink should not be stuck. “There are Europe -wide regulations on what may and is not contained in tattoo colors”explains the lawyer. According to the so-called REACH regulation, for example, it must be ensured that the ink is sterile and various limit values ​​are observed.

The dermatologist Dr. Gerd Kautz. Among other things, he reports on allergic reactions from contaminated ink and about severe problems due to health -hazardous ingredients, to an increased risk of cancer. The dermatologist advises to be tattooed with ashes. “If you bring ink in the skin that is not 100 % clean, this is associated with a massive risk”he says.

There are companies that specialize in such ash ink. However, they are not based in Germany, but for example in England. England does not belong to the EU and is therefore not subject to the same strict tattoo ink regulations. One of these companies is a creamation ink. If you want to get the remains of your pet in ink there, you just have to send a tablespoon of ash and pay about 170 euros. According to the company, the ashes are then filtered, crushed and sterilized in the laboratory, heavy metals and medical residues are removed from the ashes.

“I would only like to get a bottle of the color in my fingers”says lawyer Slamal. Because with the right pigment size and sterilization of ash and color – as advertised by the providers – it is not enough. “The correct labeling of the bottle alone is a science in itself. And to expect that from a company that is not subject to the REACH regulation even-I remain skeptical.” Dr. Gerd Kautz looks similar. “Now we finally have regulations that make sure that the tattoo colors have to be of high quality, and now you avoid this by taking colors from England. I wouldn’t recommend that”he says. And asks: “Who gives us the guarantee that the tattoo fabrics are really clean?”

According to the Slamal, if you still choose the color, you are still facing another hurdle. Because even if England is not subject to the EU regulation for tattoo paint, the importer does it. “The English manufacturer can say: We have nothing to do with it. But the person who buys this color and introduces it to Germany cannot”the lawyer explains. The importer is obliged to ensure that the regulation is complied with. Among other things, the color must be registered with the authorities and a corresponding safety data sheet must be presented. “There are a lot of pitfalls. I don’t know if everyone is so aware”he says. For him, the import of the ash ink is therefore no longer a gray area, “With some certainty, this tends to be a dark gray”.