The Nickel Directive
(Only enforced in Europe - Not in effect anywhere else)
As a result of various problems associated with nickel
sensitisation on clothes and jewellery, the European Community (EC) Nickel
Directive (76/769/EEC - now 94/27/EEC) was enacted on 20th July 1999,
and became law in the EU on the 20th January 2000.
The directive was devised due to fears about allergic
reactions and sensitisation to nickel, and has been designed to reduce
any problems caused by this metal.
On the 20th January 2000 the Nickel Directive became law
in the EU
There is no ambiguity - any supplier saying this Directive
is not law is misguided or ill-informed. It is the law - and, moreover,
both the supplier and the piercer share the responsibility of ensuring
that this legislation is enforced.
The directive is a large and complex document, but can
be simply put as follows:
Items intended to come into contact with BROKEN skin are
restricted to a mass of 0.05% nickel.
Items intended to come into close and prolonged contact with skin are
restricted to a release rate of 0.5ug/cm2week of nickel.
316L SURGICAL STEEL contains between 6-13% nickel and it does not conform
to the first part of the Directive and it cannot, therefore, be used for
fresh piercings. It can only be used after the healing process (also known
as 'epithelization') has taken place, as replacement jewellery, since
it does not release nickel.
TITANIUM does not contain nickel but can attract it during
the manufacturing process. This means that it does conform to the first
part of the Directive, but may not conform to the nickel release directive,
depending on the standards of the manufacturer...
EU Nickel Directive 76/769/EEC
Part 1
The law states that body piercing assemblies present during
epithelisation must be homogenous and contain no more than 500ppm of nickel.
Part 2
The law states that body piercing assemblies worn in the
body once the wound has healed must release nickel at a rate of no more
than 0.5ug/cm2/week.
For further information on the EU Nickel Directive, you
may wish to check out one of the following web-sites:
(Department of Trade
and Industry)
(HM
Government Stationery Office)
International
Conference On Occupational And Environmental Exposures of Skin To Chemicals:
Science & Policy
(Abridged
EEC notes on the original directive 1994)
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