The European Union recently banned the sale and use of trimethylbenzoyl diphenylphosphine oxide – also known as TPO – for its alleged reproductive toxicant qualities. Most gel nail polishes contain TPO, as it’s the key ingredient to ensure a shiny finish after hardening following exposure to UV light.
However, Canada has yet to take any similar action, considering its risk-based model for product regulation. But if the writing is on the wall about TPO’s dangers, what is stopping Health Canada from taking a proactive stance on reproductive safety?
Host Maria Kestane speaks to Miriam Diamond, a professor in the department of earth sciences and The School of the Environment at the University of Toronto, to discuss the different regulatory approaches between the EU and Canada, and how Canadians can make their own informed choices on the treatments they pay for.
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