California’s First Healthy Nail Salon Program
San Francisco is the first City in the state that is taking action to protect nail salon workers and residents. SF Environment has launched a program to help local nail salons implement safer practices, choose safer products and recognize participating nail salons for their efforts.
Salons enrolled in the healthy nail salon program are going above and beyond to help protect the health of their salon staff, their customers and the environment. To qualify for recognition by San Francisco, nail salons must undergo training and commit to using the safer products as listed below.
Safer Practices and Products
A recognized salon has committed to the following:
- Requiring technicians to wear protective gloves
- Setting up designated areas for artificial nails with a localized ventilation system to reduce odors
- Uses polishes and lacquers without Toluene, Dibutyl phthalate, Formaldehyde
- Uses nail polish thinners without Toluene, Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK)
- Uses nail polish removers without Ethyl or butyl acetate
- Uses artificial nails without Methyl methacrylate (Banned by the FDA)
Benefits of the Healthy Nail Salon program include enhanced health and well being of staff, a safer environment for customers, recognition and promotion by SF Environment, and the ability to attract new customers.
Know of a salon that is interested? Spread the word!
- Tell your favorite nail salon how they can become recognized as a healthy nail salon.
- Get updates on the Healthy Nail Salon Program by signing up for our newsletter.