Submitted
With about 30,000 hair salons in Canada using sprays, dyes and foils, the industry’s environmental impact is significant. So when Leanne Boyd, owner of Level 10 Eurospa, discovered that her salon could become sustainable by partnering with Green Circle Salons, she didn’t hesitate.
“It was a no-brainer for us,” says Boyd. “We’ve always done our part with LED lighting, low-flow toilets, power smart washers, recycling. Unfortunately, our regional recycling program only dealt with so much and the rest went in the landfill. I’d heard about Green Circle three years ago and now that they’re offering their services in B.C., we can manage over 95 per cent of all our salon waste through them and the rest is compost.”
The Toronto-based company offers salons a comprehensive recycling/repurposing program that ensures foils, colour tubes, plastics, papers and chemicals get diverted out of local waste and water systems — some of it even turns into energy for BC Hydro when incinerated.
All hair clippings are repurposed into mats and booms used to contain oil spills. Hair takes a long time to decompose and could sit in a plastic bag in a landfill for centuries. Its oil-absorption properties, however, make it a perfect material for spill clean-ups.
“It’s pretty amazing actually,” Boyd said. “Our clients are thrilled their hair clippings can be used for something positive like that, and it’s been surprisingly easy to do. We just have a few more bins to separate hair, used foils, colour tubes and excess spa waste. Then we ship it to Burnaby to be dealt with appropriately and responsibly.”
By charging a small eco-fee of $1.50, the salon shares the expense with clients.
“The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive,” Boyd said. “We’re all proud here at Level 10 to keep our clients and the planet beautiful.”
The salon is at 1025 Cliffe Ave.
