China's mandatory national standard for heavy metals in printing inks, GB 46997-2025 "Limit of Heavy Metals in Printing Inks", was officially released on December 31, 2025, and will be fully implemented on January 1, 2027. This standard fills the gap in mandatory control of heavy metals in China's ink industry, marking a comprehensive shift from a "performance-oriented" regulatory approach to a dual-track model of "safety + environmental protection". It directly affects the compliance and development of the entire industrial chain, from ink production to printing applications.
Scope of Application
The standard applies to all printing ink products, covering all processes, all substrates, and all application scenarios.
Control Requirements
The standard adopts a dual-control model of "total content limit + soluble migration limit", which aligns with actual human exposure risks. It specifies maximum limit requirements for four total heavy metals and eight soluble heavy metals, and describes relevant testing methods and specifications.
Hazardous Element | Limit Requirement |
Lead (Pb) – total content | Total content ≤ 100 mg/kg |
Cadmium (Cd) – total content | |
Mercury (Hg) – total content | |
Hexavalent Chromium (Cr⁶⁺) – total content | |
Antimony (Sb) – soluble | ≤ 60 mg/kg |
Arsenic (As) – soluble | ≤ 25 mg/kg |
Barium (Ba)a – soluble | ≤ 1000 mg/kg |
Cadmium (Cd) – soluble | ≤ 75 mg/kg |
Chromium (Cr)b – soluble | ≤ 60 mg/kg |
Lead (Pb) – soluble | ≤ 90 mg/kg |
Mercury (Hg) – soluble | ≤ 60 mg/kg |
Selenium (Se) – soluble | ≤ 500 mg/kg |
a: Not applicable to red ink (PR 53:1) and golden red ink (PR 53:2)
b: Not applicable to reactive dye inks and acid dye inks used in textile printing inkjet
Inks are widely used in applications such as food packaging, children's toys, pharmaceuticals, tobacco and alcohol, electronic products, and publications — with frequent human contact, making heavy metal hazards a prominent concern. The introduction of GB 46997-2025 is not only a necessary step for safety and environmental upgrades in the industry, but also an important opportunity for high-quality development of enterprises. With the official implementation date of January 1, 2027 approaching, companies need to plan ahead, proactively ensure compliance, and seize market opportunities.
Leveraging professional expertise, accredited laboratories, and extensive compliance experience, CIRS provides comprehensive testing and compliance solutions for the entire ink and printing industry chain, helping you easily meet the challenges of the mandatory national standard GB 46997-2025!
At CIRS Testing, we help you navigate complex regulatory landscapes and ensure your products are safe and reliable. If you need any assistance or have any questions, please feel free to contact us at test@cirs-group.com.