Adam and Eve Tanning, Tattooing and Piercing owner Rick Ellis opened his Alcona shop last week, after it Photo by Chris Simon was closed by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit in August. Adam and Eve is open again.

After an impromptu closure by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit last month, the tattoo, tanning and piercing shop has been mostly reopened, says owner Rick Ellis.

The Innisfil Beach Road business was ordered to cease body modification services, after health unit officials launched an investigation into the potential use of non-sterile equipment. The health unit also issued a press release, asking residents to take precautions and avoid sharing personal items like razors toothbrushes and needles.

But Ellis says the health unit failed to follow its own protocol. According to health unit policy, sterilization of the disputed equipment is not mandatory.

In fact, only bleach is required to clean that equipment, a process that was completed by shop employees, said Ellis.

"The piercing will be open within a month, as soon as I make enough money to buy the piece of equipment. We have the health unit to ensure that proper procedure is followed," he said. "The semi-critical equipment that was in question was not even part of the personal services settings protocol supplied by the (Ontario) Ministry of Health. The equipment does not have to be sterile, it just has to be disinfected. The equipment was disinfected, and also went through a sterilizer."

The health unit says a shop sterilizer failed inspection. However, that equipment has since passed testing, he said.

Although the risk of contamination was considered very low, the possible use of non-sterile equipment could lead to the transmission of diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), according to the health unit.

But officials admitted there were no confirmed cases of contamination in the press release.

"We have no evidence of transmission of infectious diseases, but because of the potential use of non-sterile equipment, there is also a potential risk that we must act on," said Colin Lee, Associate Medical Officer of Health, in the release.

Ellis says the closure has had a significant impact on the shop's business. But the shop will avoid legal action against the health unit.

"It's had a devastating effect on the business," he said. "The protocol was followed. Everyone who came here saw that each needle was individually wrapped, removed from the package, and the equipment used had gone through the sterilizer and had been disinfected and scrubbed prior to use.

"They will never admit they made a mistake. If I would have pursued an appeal, I could have been shut down for six months. I really needed to have the business reopened."

Ellis also lost his tattoo artist around the time of the closure, who started working for another shop. However, Adam and Eve has hired tattoo artist Nas Abdul.

"We've had a few people coming buy and looking at his work. He's quite experienced and does good work," said Ellis.