Did you know that, on average, only 9% of the waste in a typical salon bin actually ends up being recycled? The rest often goes straight to landfills or incineration, even though so much of it could be reused or repurposed.

As an industry, we rely on materials like foils, colour tubes and plastics every day. Add to that the hair we sweep up from every client, and the scale of salon waste becomes clear. The good news? With the right systems in place, nearly all of it can be diverted from landfill.

Rethinking and Recycling Salon Waste 

• Hair: Far from useless, hair can be recycled in over 15 innovative ways, from cleaning up oil spills to making compost.

• Foil and Colour Tubes: Traditional kerbside recycling doesn’t accept them because they’re contaminated with colour. However, specialist schemes can ensure every bit of metal is recycled properly.

• Plastic, Paper and General Waste: Everyday materials need to be separated and sent to the right places to give them a second life in recycling, or to be disposed of responsibly. 

This is where Green Salon Collective comes in. We offer dedicated recycling services designed specifically for salons, making it easy to separate and dispose of these unique waste streams responsibly.

200 Tonnes Recycled and Counting

Thanks to the efforts of salons working with Green Salon Collective, over 200 tonnes of salon waste have already been diverted from landfill. That’s a powerful reminder of what we can achieve when we commit to change. Every foiled highlight, every squeezed tube, every snip of hair adds up. When recycled properly, it all makes a difference.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

While recycling is vital, it’s only part of the picture. Salons should also:

• Reduce waste by switching to reusable alternatives where possible.

• Reuse materials creatively, whether that’s offering refill schemes for retail products or repurposing items within the salon.

• Recycle everything that can’t be reduced or reused through a trusted service = Green Salon Collective.

With just a few mindful changes, salons can dramatically improve their sustainability and lead the way in reducing industry waste. After all, if only 9% of our bin is being recycled, that means there’s a huge 91% opportunity to do better, and together, we can.