Modern Solutions Inc.

Salons - An industry untouched by air quality regulation employs mostly women of child-bearing age
Friday, May 16, 2008
ANNE SAKER The Oregonian
The Oregonian
A nail salon makes its first impression on the nose. Even regular customers can feel overpowered by the smell of the chemicals necessary for that professional finish.
On a typical visit, a customer might spend […]

 The Following Nine Articles are contributed from:
A Report by Women’s Voices for the Earth
Health Hazards Associated withToxic Exposure in Nail SalonsA look at the health hazards associated with toxicexposure in nail salons and recommendations forimproving conditions for nail salon employees andcustomers. By Alexandra Gorman and Philip O’ConnorWomen’s Voices for the EarthFebruary 2007 Acknowledgments:The authors are grateful to […]

It is well-known that nail salon products contain toxic chemicals, such as phthalates, toluene, formaldehyde, acetone,methylacrylates and other volatile organic compounds. The health effects of exposure to these chemicals on women day after day, particularly women of child bearing age, are not fully understood. Incredibly, despite the toxic nature of the chemicals, the potential for […]

According to NAILS magazine, in 2005 there were over 57,000 nail salons in the U.S. employing over 380,000 licensed nail technicians. The vast majority (95%) of these employees are women. Nail technicians are also predominately women of color (59%). The largest ethnic group represented are Vietnamese women who comprise 38% of nail technicians country-wide. The […]

Three top ingredients of concern in many nail products are toluene, formaldehyde and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) which have been linked to both reproductive harm and cancer. A survey conducted by Environmental Working Group in 2005 found eight brands of nail products contained formaldehyde, five contained formaldehyde resin, 37 contained toluene, and 89 contained dibutyl phthalate. […]

While published studies quantifying toxic exposure in nail salons are relatively few in number, the chemicals discussed above, toluene, formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate, acetone, ethanol and acrylic dusts and vapors have all been detected by air monitoring in salons. The levels have generally been found to be much lower than the existing exposure standards for each […]

A few studies have been conducted to assess health outcomes in nail salon workers. While these studies are unable to specify which of the myriad chemicals (or more likely, what combination) may be linked to each of the health outcomes, the results of these studies indicate that exposure in nail salons appears to be hazardous. […]

Additional studies have been conductedthat document nail technicians’ selfreported health effects in nail salons. An unpublished survey of Vietnamese nail technicians in Boston found considerable awareness that their occupation was affecting their health. A majority of those surveyed responded that there were odors at work that make them feel bad, and they identified these odors […]

The question remains—if we know that hazardous chemicals are present innail products, that these chemicals can be detected in the air of nail salons,that nail salon workers are reporting adverse health outcomes likely due toexposure, and we know that nail salon workers have expressed concern abouttheir health, especially during pregnancy—why isn’t the law protecting womenfrom […]

By law, nail products sold in the United States must be free of poisonous ordeleterious substances that might harm users under conditions of normaluse. However, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admitsthat it “does not review or approve nail products and other cosmetics beforethey go on the market.” Instead the FDA relies on its […]

Meanwhile at the local level, the responsibility for communicating occupationalhazards to nail salon workers is predominately left up to manufacturersof products and employers. According to the Hazard CommunicationStandard, by law, manufacturers are required to provide material safety datasheets (MSDS) to their customers which outline safety information abouthazardous chemicals in a product. Employers are required to […]

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