I wonder how many of our readers know that nail polish is considered by the U.S. EPA to be Household Hazardous Waste? So, what have you been doing with the stuff when it dries up a bit or you get tired of the color?

It turns out that nail polish normally contains such delightful things as Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl phthalate (let’s hear you say that three times fast!) and can also contain camphor and formaldehyde resins. All of these are cancer causing chemicals. Then you need stuff containing acetone and synthetic fragrances to get the polish off! 

One of my favorite websites is earth911.com, and they have some very excellent materials on a wide range of ecologically smart subjects. Their website will tell you about several nail polish alternatives that are so-called “3-Free”, or “5-Free,” meaning free from the first three chemicals, or from all five of these very nasty compounds. I have personally, of course, not used any of these products (most of the other men  I know don’t use much nail polish, either), but I can say that I’ve found other products described by the earth911 group to be what they claim to be. I also have not compared the cost of these products with the cost of stuff at the local pharmacy or nail salon, but would think that avoiding cancer in any form might be worth a few extra dollars to most of us. 

You can also certainly look for the “3-free” and “5-Free” terms on the marketing for whatever brands are carried by your favorite store or nail salon. In addition, OSHA has published a booklet in pdf format that discusses in detail the health hazards  to be found in nail salons, and offers a guide for nail salon workers to stay safe. It’s excellent reading for professionals and home users alike.

The Recycle Bin is a weekly column on what to recycle, what not to recycle, and why, in Brunswick. The public is encouraged to submit questions by email to brunsrecycleinfo@gmail.com. Harry Hopcroft is a member of the Brunswick Recycling and Sustainability Committee.