PNewsBreak: Calif. Finds Toxins in Nail Polishes
More Sharing ServicesShareShare on
facebook_likeEmail Comment Print Text Size - / +
By JASON DEAREN Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO April 10, 2012 (AP)
Some nail polishes commonly found in California salons and advertised as
free of a so-called "toxic trio" of chemicals actually have high levels
of agents known to cause birth defects, according to state chemical
regulators.
A Department of Toxic Substances Control report to be released Tuesday
determined that the mislabeled nail products have the potential to harm
thousands of women who work in more than 48,000 nail salons in
California, and their customers.
Investigators chose 25 brands at random, including a number of products
claiming to be free of the chemicals toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
and formaldehyde, which are known as the toxic trio. Regulators said
exposure to large amounts of the chemicals has been linked to
developmental problems, asthma and other illnesses.
Investigators found that 10 of 12 products that claimed to be free of
toluene actually contained it, with four of the products having
dangerously high levels.
The report also found that five of seven products that claimed to be
"free of the toxic three" actually included one or more of the agents in
significant levels.
The agency said it did not have enough data to accurately estimate how
many people were being exposed to the chemicals through the products.
"We know there are exposures at salons, both to workers and customers,
and we're concerned about potential harm," said Karl Palmer, the DTSC's
pollution prevention performance manager who oversaw the report.
"Our strategy first and foremost is to shed light on the reality of
what's in these products and put this information out to everyone."
Among the products tested that the state says were mislabeled were:
Sation 99 basecoat, Sation 53 red-pink nail color, Dare to Wear nail
lacquer, Chelsea 650 Baby's Breath Nail Lacquer, New York Summer Nail
Color, Paris Spicy 298 nail lacquer, Sunshine nail lacquer, Cacie Light
Free Gel Basecoat, Cacie Sun Protection Topcoat, Golden Girl Topcoat,
Nail Art Top-N-Seal and High Gloss Topcoat.
The DTSC says all three chemicals are linked to chronic health
conditions and that the 121,000 licensed nail care technicians who work
in the salons, many of them young Asian-American women, are most at
risk.
The agency said the salons are often poorly ventilated, leading to exposure to
a number of harmful chemicals.
"We are alarmed by the results of this report," Julia Liou, co-founder
of the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative and a public health
administrator for Asian Health Services, said in a statement. "The
misbranding of products is not only a major public health problem, but
also interferes with a salon worker's right to a safe and healthy work
environment."
While the use of the three chemicals in nail products is not illegal,
agency officials said the false claims on the labels may be — but a
final decision on that will be made by the state attorney general's
office.
DBP has been banned in nail products in the European Union, and the EU
has strict limits on the amount of formaldehyde and toluene that can be
used.
"We will need to examine the data for compliance with Prop. 65 and other
state laws," said Lynda Gledhill, a spokeswoman for the attorney
general's office.
Proposition 65 is a state law that requires that all harmful chemicals in a
product be revealed by the manufacturer.
Mike Vo, vice president of Miss Professional Nail Products, Inc., the
maker of the Sation products and others on the list, said he disputed
DTSC's findings.
"We will look at the report and challenge it," he said.
More From ABC NewsStudent Breaks Up With Teacher-Boyfriend
After Sexual Assault ArrestGrandma Saves Kids from TornadoTwo Men Arrested in
Tulsa Shooting SpreeZimmerman Speaks: Alleged Shooter of Trayvon Martin Posts
on WebsiteStudent Saves Bus When Driver Faints
From Around the WebWhat the Flight Attendants Won’t Tell
You (Good Life Review)Heart Attack: How Your Body Warns You Days Before
(Newsmax.com)Miami Marlins' Ozzie Guillen rips Chicago White Sox's Kenny
Williams (ESPN Chicago)Natural gas cars: A look under the hood (ExxonMobil's
Perspectives)When Owls Attack: Boxer Saves Tiny Dog From Rare Aerial Assault
(TakePart)[What's This?]
Related Topics: Nails, Salon, European Union, Public Health, U.S., Birth
Defect, New York, Gel, Phthalates, Endocrine Disruptors
on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook
Share on emailEmail PrintShare on facebookShare on google_plusoneMore
Sharing ServicesShare
Comment & Contribute
Do you have more information about this topic?
If so, please click here to contact the editors of ABC News.
tipsandtoes18:38 AM EDT
Apr 10, 2012I
have been working as a nail technitian in PA for 15 years now and this
is something I have been warning my clients about for years. I advise
anyone who wants to get their nails done to do research on the salon
they choose and know the products they are using. If the products don't
have labels, isn't that a bit shady? The other thing that bothers me is
when these women go get their nails done and NEVER get the same person,
RED FLAG!! Good luck ladies and do your research on your nail salon.
Watch Mornings on ABC
Watch the Full Episode
GMA 4/09: Two Suspects Arrested in Tulsa...
George Stephanopoulos Suggests
WATCH: In Memoriam: Mike Wallace WATCH:
Roundtable: This Week in Politics WATCH: Green Room: Economic Slowdown?
ABC News on Facebook
Follow Us
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"NailTech" group.
To post to this group, send email to [email protected].
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
[email protected].
For more options, visit this group at
http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en.
