Policy Advocacy

The Policy Subcommittee develops and advocates for policies and programs that, when put into practice, will benefit the health and safety of the nail salon community.  The committee works with appropriate regulatory and state agencies to develop healthier/green salon program, advocates for safer workplace standards, and has established policy recommendations to improve the health and safety of nail and cosmetology communities.

For more information, download the Collaborative’s policy recommendations report, Overexposed and Underinformed: Dismantling Barriers to Health and Safety in California Nail Salons.

The San Francisco Healthy Nail Salon Ordinance

The Collaborative, along with the Asian Law Caucus and Environment California, co-sponsored the Healthy Nail Salon Recognition Program Ordinance which was adopted unanimously by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in October 2010.  Supervisor David Chiu was the ordinance’s author.

The ordinance will establish a voluntary recognition program for salon owners that stop using nail polish, including base and top coats, containing the Toxic Trio (dibutyl phthalate (DBP), formaldehyde, and toluene). It is a groundbreaking first step in addressing worker health. Many workers experience negative health impacts due to the chemicals in nail products they work with on a daily basis. Goals of the ordinance are to reduce negative reproductive and other health impacts of long-term exposure to toxic chemicals for nail salon workers and to provide nail salon owners information that will enable them to use healthier and less toxic products and practices.  Thanks to nail salon workers and owners, allies, and Collaborative members for making this happen!