Group warns public: Don’t buy artificial nail sets with poisonous adhesive

MANILA, Philippines — What looks pretty on your nails may not be good for you, as an environmental group on Thursday warned the public against buying artificial nail sets that include an adhesive which contains a banned substance dangerous to health.

The EcoWaste Coalition said they conducted a test buy of artificial nail sets last June 5 at 11/88 Shopping Mall and Lucky Chinatown Shopping Mall in Divisoria, Manila, and discovered that products like “Beauty Nail,” “Don,” “Nail Salons,” “Nail Style,” and “Splendid Nails” were being sold in those establishments.

Each set were being offered for as low as P12.50 up to P50, the group noted.

But EcoWaste Coalition chemical safety campaigner Thony Dizon said the adhesive included in those artificial nail sets contains dibutyl phthalate (DBP), a chemical compound linked to endocrine disruption, developmental and reproductive disorders, as well as cancer.

According to Dizon, DBP is included among banned substances for cosmetic products under the European Cosmetics Directive and the ASEAN Cosmetics Directive.

The group has informed the Food and Drug Administration–Center for Cosmetic Regulation and Research (FDA-CCRR) of the artificial nail sets’ illegal sale in local market, and urged authorities to conduct post-market surveillance. The group also appealed to authorities to seize the toxic products.

Further, EcoWaste asked FDA to issue a public warning against the merchandise. It likewise advised the public to only buy nail beauty products that are FDA-certified and are marketed by licensed manufacturer, importer or distributor.

“We advise consumers, especially girls and women, to shun such products that can expose them to potential harm,” Dizon said in a statement.

FDA previously issued an advisory on DBP-containing adhesive, saying “DBP has the ability to cause allergic reactions” as “there were previous cases where allergic response to DBP was found to be severe.”

“Allergic reactions can induce a state of hypersensitivity in the immune system. It can cause the immune system to respond to chemical exposures with immunological reactions that are harmful, varying from hives to life threatening responses such as anaphylactic shock, where low blood pressure and breathing difficulties can result in death,” FDA said. (Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)