It was a busy afternoon at the nail spa when the phone rings..."Hi, my name is April Zepeda and we're doing a story on nail salons...can we come by in 30 minutes?" Wow. We were shocked, excited and nervous all at the same time. Moments later, the camera crew and April show up setting up monstrous cameras, lighting while working at a controlled and frenzied pace. "Don't mind us" (easy for you to say). It was an hour interview. It came by so quickly we didn't have time to prepare...or call anybody for that matter to record. All in all, we hear it was a full story. Great shots of the nail spa. Dad was watching tv...didn't know about the interview. "Whoa! I just saw you guys on the news!" We didn't get a chance to record, but we did find the a brief article online...
By April Zepeda
KOMO 4 article
Environmental groups are claiming victory for women after getting a OPI, a major cosmetics company, to remove a harsh chemical form its nail polish formula.
The news is especially good for workers in nail salons who inhale fumes all day.
"After doing it for 12 years, you can smell the different fumes. The ones without formaldehyde or toluene are lighter," said salon owner, Victoria Luu.
At her shop, Sense Nail Spa in Shoreline, her family has added a ventilation system and now offers polishes with fewer chemicals. They know customers want less toxins.
"We have seen a lot of push for it just in the last year. In the past ten years, that's something you never would have seen," said co-owner, Robert Luu.
Now the largest nail salon supplier, OPI, has agreed to remove one of the harshest chemicals from its polishes. Toluene has been shown to cause respiratory problems, memory and vision loss and even birth defects. The company decided to nix the chemical after a strong push from environmental groups, including the Environmental Coalition of South Seattle.
"To have a company that size respond positively to a campaign and remove the chemicals out of their products says a lot, " said the organization's Executive Director, Charlie Cuniff.
There are more than 400 nail salons in King County alone. OPI will start shipping the new polish in the next month
OPI's Chief Operating Officer Eric Schwartz said the company welcomes the change.
"We are pleased that technological advances have enabled us to improve our formulas and harmonize our product offerings," he said.
Environmental groups say the change will making a safer working environment for nearly 14,000 manicurists in the state, as well as their customers.
"I think anything will be better for me and the person doing my nails and probably the people who are making the product," said customer Tricia Barbachan.
Last year OPI removed another chemical from its polish - dibutyl phthalate - after it was banned in several European countries.
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