hardboiled

noxious nails

One rule my mom imposed around the house was to always wear those $0.99 surgical masks whenever we dealt with fumes indoors, including roach insecticide, aerosols... and strangely enough, nail polish.

Slightly obsessive-compulsive? Of course, especially to a prepubescent thirteen year old amidst her desperate attempts at girlhood vanity and flawless WetNWild fingertips. Yet, my mom wasn't actually stretching the truth when warning against the effects of "dangerous toxins" inside numerous nail products and polish removers.

While it might not be a big deal to the average Cal student who gets her (or his!) fair share of ten minute pedicures, it is a growing concern for those making a living using these products. Very much so that organizations such as the Asian Law Caucus, have organized programs such as The Nail Salon Project to outreach to the demographic mostly affected- Asian immigrant women.

For many nail salon workers- most of which are of Vietnamese descent- the proximity to these chemicals and the lack of proper ventilation within their miniscule working conditions, has detrimental consequences.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there have been casual links to “cancer, respiratory irritation, developmental and reproductive abnormalities... and other health-related problems.“ What’s worse, language barriers prevent the majority of the foreign-speaking workforce from educating themselves upon the real danger of these substances. Why is it, then, that this industry continues to be so popular?

Dominated by a demographic that is 80% Vietnamese in California alone, the nail salon industry attracts a majority of its immigrant population not only because it gives entry to assimilate within the American workforce, but it requires very short-term training and little English-speaking proficiency requirements. But according to an Issues Brief put out by the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum (NAPAWF) in 2006, most workers’ “immigrant status and limited English skills, earn (them) less than $16,000 a year.” Futhermore, many of these employees “lack knowledge of the legal and health care systems in the U.S. as well as lack basic health care coverage.”

How is it then, are workers expected to differentiate between products that are safe to use, and which are hazardous?

While chemical manufacturers are legally required to have data sheets that include “health warnings, storage and handling instructions, and emergency first aid procedures,” the catch is that none have been translated to the language of the people the products cater to. Formulas for ingredients such as acetone or potassium hydroxide, for instance, lists warnings such as “Danger! Corrosive. Causes severe burns to skin, eyes, respiratory tract...material is extremely destructive to all body tissues” that are more than obviously crucial.

Other then that, there is no regulation over which of these ingredients can go inside or by how many amounts. Interestingly enough, reproductive toxins and carcinogens that have been outlawed in the European Union since 2004, go unregulated by the Foods and Drug Administration (FDA) in America. Unless there have been reports of error once they’ve hit the shelves, the FDA does not require cosmetic products to have any approval.

Nonprofit organizations around the nation and the Bay Area itself have since stepped in where public policy has yet to turn its neck.

Formed in 2005 to voice the health and labor concerns affecting workers within the nail salon community, the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative starts by trying to increase awareness amongst the workers, find alternatives that reduce the hazardous toxins involved in the salons, and influence state-wide policies themselves.

Members of the coalition include the San Francisco-based Asian Law Caucus (ALS), which serve workers from the Asian Pacific Islander community through workshops and informational hearings, such as the one held with Senator Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) on November 15th of last year.

While more projects are shedding more light onto the inequities associated with such environmental toxins, however, there are still those who feel as they’ve been institutionally silence, whether through lack of documents or fear of loosing their jobs, and lack the means to voice their opinion. The NAPAWF report states that “many Asian nail salon workers feel that they are unable to change their workplace or report the situation to government officials, given that this may be their sole source of income, and many of the owners themselves are relatives or family members.”

There is the option of “going green,” as is the trend in certain upscale parts of West Hollywood and New York City through their use of non-toxic products, recycled goods and environmentally-friendly lighting. Yet, the power of politicization is growing through grassroots organizing, awareness of workers’ communities, and more simply, the installation of new ventillation systems.

Employees at Nail Salon on University have taken cautionary steps in ensuring that they have a safe workplace. With all windows open, front and back doors left ajar, there is only the slightest trace of acrylic and varnish fumes.

“When we first moved here, my husband made sure to install that fan,” says Helen, the owner of the salon. Pointing to a huge industrial fan screwed to the roof of the doorway, the Vietnamese-Chinese woman is pleased with her working conditions, only because not many customers request acrylic nails. Otherwise, she says, employees are required to wear surgical masks when filing and preparing acrylic materials.

“Some salons may be negligent with their practices, but we can’t take chances when it comes to our workspace, especially if it concerns the health of our customers and workers,” says Helen.