Nailing it: How a Japanese manicurist is dealing with plastic pollution

Plastic pollution is a global issue. While leaders from across the world are yet to address this grave issue, a Japanese is already taking action on it.

Japanese manicurist Naomi Arimoto is doing her best for the environment by putting plastic waste into her client’s nails.

“I became aware of environmental issues the moment I saw with my own eyes just how much plastic waste was in the ocean,” 42-year-old Arimoto said. “I thought it was horrifying.”

Plastic trash to treasure

Every month, Arimoto goes to the beach to sift through sand and look for tiny bits of plastic that can be easily shaped into decorative tips that are later put into false nails at her salon in south of Tokyo.

She uses a special wheelchair to sift through the sand at the beach to come up with the microplastics that are usually missed by other beach cleaners and can be used in her unique process. Arimoto has been practising Umigomi or ‘sea trash’ since 2021.

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To turn trash into treasure, Arimoto starts by rinsing the plastic in fresh water and then sorting it by colour. She cuts the plastic into smaller pieces and places them into a metal ring before melting the plastic to form a colourful disc that can be attached to the artificial nails. Prices for a set start at 12,760 yen ($82.52).

Arimoto acknowledges that her nail art is a drop in the ocean of plastic pollution, but says raising consciousness of the problem is a step towards working together for a solution.

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“I hope that by putting these in front of people’s eyes, on their fingertips, they’ll enjoy fashion while also becoming more aware of environmental issues,” she said.

People Speak

Several people in Tokyo appreciate Arimoto’s efforts. One of her clients was surprised when she came to know about plastics being used in nails. “I know there are other things made of recycled materials, like toilet paper and other daily necessities, but I had no idea you could have nails too, that was a surprise,” said salon customer Kyoko Kurokawa, 57.

Facts about plastic waste

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, an estimated 20 million tonnes of plastic waste is dumped into the environment each year. A United Nations summit in Busan, South Korea, starting on November 25 aims to craft a landmark treaty that would set global caps on plastic production.

Recently, the United States has beckoned full support to a global treaty for controlling plastic pollution. Notably, the US is one of the world’s biggest plastic makers. This move is hailed by environmental watchdog Greenpeace as a ‘watershed moment’ against plastic pollution.

While China and the US are the world’s largest plastic producers, a new report names the Philippines as the country that produces the most plastic pollution found in oceans, reported Independent.

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According to a new report from business energy consulting group Utility Bidder, The Southeast Asian country produces 7.27 pounds (3.30 kilograms) of mismanaged plastic waste per person each year, Independent further reported. Meanwhile, the US produces fewer than 0.02 pounds (0.01 kilograms) per person.

With inputs from Reuters