Nail salon workers are especially at risk
A common nail polish ingredientis facing stricter regulations in California because it can harm people.
The ingredient is triphenyl phosphate, a colorless, solid chemical compound commonly used as a flame retardant and a platicizer that increases flexibility and reduces brittleness.
Many nail polish and other coatings containtriphenyl phosphate, which means it can be absorbed throughthe skin and inhaled.Environmentalists and regulators are concerned the chemical is dangerous and nail polishis exposing people to it.
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control said last week it is proposing to regulatetriphenyl phosphate as a "priority product," effectively listing itas as a chemical that has the potential to harm people.
Exposure totriphenyl phosphate can harm the liver, brain, endocrine system, pregnancy and thedevelopment of children, the DTSC said.
Triphenyl phosphate is especially a concern for nail salon workers and the children they bring to work, the DTSC said.
Testing has shown the chemical to bein the air of nail salons, the DTSC said. In California, most nail salon workers are poorer Vietnamese immigrants who are often women of childbearing age.
The proposed regulation wouldn't ban the nail polish ingredient. Instead, the rule would require manufacturers to submit an analysis of safer alternatives if triphenyl phosphateappears as a contaminantat 250 parts per million or higher.
In 2020, the DTSC requested data and found triphenyl phosphate was in 1,154 nail products in concentrations as an added ingredientranging from .1% to 10% and as a contaminant ranging from 0 to 0.1%.
At the federal level, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has oversight over nail products, but its ability to regulate them is limited, which is why state governmentsare looking to enact stricter rules.
For instance, the FDA lacks the authority to require safety testing of nail products and doesn't require approval prior to their sale.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-08-08 07:52:56
