Pedi-curing the Landfill Problem

Cherelynn Baker is a contributing writer for Earth 911. Become an Earth 911 contributor.

I love pedicures, do you? How about toxic formaldehyde-filled bottles of polish that can’t be recycled and could cause hard to eradicate fungus to grow in your body?

Since our culture loves nail polish and pedicures, I have some solutions to how we can make a better botanical decision in the polish we choose. But first, let’s talk about how to reuse and reduce your nail polish bottle consumption.

1. Reuse the bottles: Create suncatchers out of them. Clean the bottles out with polish remover, fill them with clear glaze paints and glitter, then hang them with fishing line from your trees or the top of the window frame. Perhaps hang from the rear view mirror of your car? Give as a gift or use to decorate a gift package with. Get creative with a way to reuse the bottle and brush.
2. Reduce the bottle use by having a spa pedicure pamper party with friends. This is a chance to get together and make memories and share the polish that each of you already owns so no new bottles are purchased.

Go Natural

Natural nail polish is possible and there are a few lines that make a botanical version.

They contain NO formaldehyde; NO toluene; NO colophony (rosin); NO phthalate; NO synthetic preservatives; NO synthetic fragrances; NO color lakes; or highly-refined colorants.

Here’s a few places to start your searching:

• Acquarella
• Natural Solutions
• The Body Shop, which also has retail centers in many shopping malls