Starting in July, Alberto & Co Hair Care at Scott 72 Centre will become the first salon in Delta to recycle its industry-specific materials: foil, hair, chemicals, and packaging.
"Many of the materials we consume in the salon are not recyclable in the mainstream system," says salon owner Alberto Cirillo. "We are always so careful about how we use and handle these items, and it has always frustrated us not to be able to recycle them. Now, we can."
Alberto & Co is one of the first B.C. salons to use the Green Circle Salons system, which gathers all the industry-specific waste, including hair, and recycles it. The hair is used in the clean-up of oil spills – it naturally attracts oil and repels water – as well as fertilizer in the agriculture industry.
Significant quantities of plastic tubes and foils are discarded by every salon, but are not recyclable in the curbside system unless they are cleaned first, which isn't practical for a busy salon, and still sends chemicals into the water system. Green Circle ensures the items are appropriately cleaned and recycled, with the result that 90-95 per cent of the waste is diverted.
"We are very excited about this innovative way to help protect our community and our environment, and we believe our customers will be, too," says Cirillo.