California creates healthier environments for nail salon workers

Community health workers and nail-salon employees created the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative 12 years ago

California creates healthier environments for nail salon workers

Community health workers and nail-salon employees created the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative 12 years ago

A grass-roots effort enlisting California nail-salon workers and owners is racking up successes in reducing toxic exposures from manicures and pedicures. Community health workers and nail-salon employees created the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative 12 years ago. Cities and counties in the program now offer certification for salons that swear off nail products with certain hazardous ingredients and that provide proper ventilation, gloves and masks for salon workers. The program has taken hold in California and is gaining national recognition, winning support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Representatives of U.S. beauty and chemical industries say the ingredients are safe at the small levels used in nail products. Critics call for study of any long-term threat to salon workers.

OAKLAND, Calif. —

A grass-roots effort enlisting California nail-salon workers and owners is racking up successes in reducing toxic exposures from manicures and pedicures.

Community health workers and nail-salon employees created the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative 12 years ago. Cities and counties in the program now offer certification for salons that swear off nail products with certain hazardous ingredients and that provide proper ventilation, gloves and masks for salon workers.

The program has taken hold in California and is gaining national recognition, winning support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Representatives of U.S. beauty and chemical industries say the ingredients are safe at the small levels used in nail products. Critics call for study of any long-term threat to salon workers.

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