HEALTHY AIR
A COMMUNITY AND BUSINtSS UADCtS GUIOI
Could your family
be affected?
In 1996 there were
approximately 125,000
nail salons in the United
States, employing over
500,000 nail technicians
with total sales of over 4.5
billion dollars.
— Indoor Air Pollution
Control
30 states have restricted
or banned the use of
liquid methyl methacrylate
monomer. Methyl
methacrylate monomer is
an ingredient used in
some artificial nail
products which bond
strongly with the nail.
— U.S. EPA
U.S. nail salons raked in
$6.53 billion in revenue in
2003, up 67 percent from
10 years ago.
	Design for the Environment
OWNER/OPERATOR INFORMATION SHEET
Reducing Air Pollution from:
Nail Salons
3/26/2007
Why should I reduce air pollution from
nail salons?
People who are exposed to toxic air
pollutants, at sufficient concentrations for
sufficient durations, may increase their
chances of getting cancer or experiencing
other serious health effects, such as
reproductive problems, birth defects, and
aggravated asthma.
Pollution prevention safeguards the
health of your employees, families, and
customers by using materials, processes,
or practices that can reduce or eliminate
air pollution at the source.
Pollution prevention practices also save
money on waste disposal, solvent usage,
and the cost of air pollution controls.
You may already be regulated by
federal, state, local, and Tribal agencies
and may already voluntarily implement
pollution prevention practices. These
practices can go beyond compliance and
further minimize impacts on human
health and the environment.
Why should I be concerned about air
pollution from my nail salon?
Many of the products used in nail salons
contain a variety of chemicals which may
be harmful to people or to the
environment if not handled carefully .
These products include solvents,
hardeners, fragrances, glues, polishes and
dry/curing agents. Possible effects on
health can range anywhere from mild
rashes to very serious conditions,
depending on degree and duration of
exposures (For more detailed information
on chemicals present in nail care
products, see (7), (1) and (3) in Resources
list.)
• Chemical Vapors: Many of the
most potentially harmful chemicals
used in nail salon products
"vaporize" quickly into the air while
customers are being worked on, or
when materials are being transferred
from storage into smaller containers.
Chemicals in solvents can also react
in the air to cause both respiratory
and environmental problems from
production of ground-level ozone
(smog). Since smell is not a reliable
indicator of exposure, it's important
to know which products contain
chemicals that owners and operators
need to treat with special care.
Dust: Filing artificial nails
produces fine particles. The
resulting dust may contain glues,
benzoyl peroxide, silica, and
methacrylate polymers. Wraps
usually contain the same materials
as nails in any given product line.
A Special Situation: Years ago.
Liquid Methyl Methacrylate
(MMA) Monomer was used in
artificial nail products. In the early
1970's the US Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) responded to
complaints with investigations that
established its dangers. Since then,
30 states have restricted or banned
its use. However, Liquid MMA is
still available and is used in some
products. In (6) of the Resources
list, the Nail Manufacturers Council
(NMC) provides information about
how to identify Liquid MMA and
describes safe products to use as
substitutes.
Other Health Considerations: In
addition to trying to minimize the
health effects of breathing chemical
vapors and dust, nail salon owners
and operators can protect worker
and customer health in other ways.
Establishing good sanitation
practices for instrument sterilization,
hand washing and glove use can
prevent disease transmission. See
listed resources for excellent
suggestions and checklists,
including ways to prevent accidents
in nail salons.

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OWNER/OPERATOR INFORMATION SHEET	3/26/2007
Nail Salons
How can I reduce the air pollution from my nail salon?
•	Learn about the chemicals in the products you use:
You can get Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)
from your nail product suppliers and manufacturers.
Each MSDS tells what the hazardous components and
exposure limits are for the chemicals in each of their
products. They explain any health hazards,
precautions to be taken, and what to do in
emergencies. For more information about using
MSDS, see Resources (7) and (4).
•	Minimize effects of vapors: Try to prevent vapors
from getting into the air by keeping supplies tightly
sealed except when dispensing products. Guard
against spills when transferring materials from storage
to smaller containers. Substitute safe materials and
products. Promptly dispose of chemical-soaked gauze
pads into sealed bags and change trash can liners
daily. Use only metal self-closing trash receptacles.
•	Minimize effects of dust: Workers should wear
masks when filing nails. Dust-controlling techniques,
such as forming the nail properly, should be used to
reduce the need for filing.
•	Ventilate to remove vapors and dust: Nail salons
should have a well-designed, properly installed,
overall exhaust ventilation system. Install a local
exhaust ventilation system above each manicure
station. All systems should be vented outside in a
manner that avoids re-circulating air back into the salon.
For more detailed information, links to other Web sites, and
helpful checklists dealing with all aspects of nail salon health
and safety measures, see the list of Resources.
What else can I do to reduce air pollution?
Keep informed through internet resources such as those
listed. Stay involved with trade associations, which offer
updates, publications, and continuing education opportunities.
Your community may already have groups working for
cleaner air. Your expertise and knowledge can be very helpful
to these groups by helping them understand what the nail
salon industry is doing to improve air quality.
Many pollution prevention offices offer free on-site
assessments for interested businesses. Resource (9) provides
information about assistance and technical help,
environmental experts, enviromnental regulations and laws,
funding, and cost-saving opportunities.
Also, sponsor employee awards for good ideas, great efforts
and dedication to pollution prevention. For example, you
could provide a cash award for employees who implement
ideas that reduce both costs and pollution.
Resources
EPA has compiled an information booklet to educate nail salon owners and employees about the potential hazards of
chemicals present in nail products and to recommend many best shop practices to minimize health and enviromnental risks in
their shops. This booklet has been produced in English, Vietnamese, and Korean to ensure that stakeholders from different
backgrounds are all equally educated on nail salon risks and safety measures. Resource (7). Other resources listed also provide
useful information, links, and work practices checklists for nail salons. See additional checklists in (1) and (5).
1.	Artificial Fingernail Products. A HESIS Guide to Chemical Exposures in the Nail Salon: www.dlis.ca.gov/ohb/HESIS/
artnails.htm
2.	Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association: www.ctfa.org, 202-331-1770
3.	Integrated Risk Information Systems (IRIS): www.epa.gov/iris
4.	Material Safety Data Sheets: www.msdsonline.com
5.	Nail Manufacturers Council List of Salon Work Practices: www.asepticonails.com/nailsafety.htm
6.	Nail Manufacturers Council Update on MMA: www.isnow.com/about/inta/NMC_MMA.pdf
7.	U.S. EPA: A Guide to Protect the Health of Nail Salon Workers and their Working Enviromnent: www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/
salon/NailBookEnglish.pdf 888-884-2478 x58326
8.	U.S. EPA Design for the Enviromnent Nail Salon Project: www.epa.gov/dfe/projects/salon/index.htm
9.	US EPA Small Business Gateway homepage: www.epa.gov/smallbusiness/
10.	Community-Based Projects: www.epa.gov/air/toxicair/coimnunity.html
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HEALTHY AIR: A Community and Business Leaders Guide
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