Waste management and recycling in the salon

No matter how economical you think your salon is, you can always do more to reduce waste and recycle. The Environment Agency says that consumers and businesses produce too much waste - more than 400 million tonnes much of which is sent to landfill. In December, the U.K government launched its Resources and Waste Strategy for England which aims for all plastic packaging to be recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025 and in the longer term to stamp out all avoidable plastic waste. According to the report in we use 5 million tonnes of plastic in the UK every year, nearly half of which is packaging. One of the main themes of the strategy is to make manufacturers pay the full cost of recycling or disposing of their packaging waste by reforming the ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’ (EPR). This is to further encourage manufacturers to design products and packaging which will have another life after use, whether that's by being reused or recycled. These reforms are expected to be in place by 2021 and implemented by 2023. Hilary Hall, chief executive of the NHF/NBF said, “We know many brands are already working on reducing waste, but it’s possible that the price of products will go up to reflect the additional charges for waste disposal or for redeveloping packaging into more environmentally friendly forms.” For more location specific advice in the U.K you can speak to local waste management contractors but here's some general tips you can apply to reduce waste and encourage recycling in the salon.

Tips for Waste Management and Recycling in the Salon

• Recycling is much easier when you set up a system. Contact your local council to find out what recycling it offers, and where your local recycling centre is. You can then organise bins accordingly.
• It's easy to reduce the amount of paper you use by using both sides.
• Paper, empty cans, plastic and glass bottles can all be separated into bins for recycling.
• Do you fax when you could email? Can you order stock online or by phone?
• In your staff room, eliminate waste by getting rid of disposable cups and make sure everyone has a mug that can be washed up and reused instead of throwing a plastic cup away after every drink.
• Any left over food and hair can be used as compost.
• Don't just throw old furniture away - recycle it. Furniture can be donated to schools, homeless shelters or non-profit organisations.
• Consider buying second-hand furniture.
• Whenever possible, buy recycled products. Paper, stationery, toilet paper, rubbish bags and paper towels are all readily available in recycled versions.
• The Environment Agency says liquid wastes, particularly chemicals such as hair dye, can be toxic and are banned from landfill. They pollute our environment - and can kill wildlife, and in extreme cases, enter our drinking water. So make sure you don't pour it down the sink and get a registered waste contractor in to take it away and deal with it properly.
• Shavers and other electrical items can be recycled. Under the new rules that came in on 1 July 2007, if you're replacing an item on a like-for-like basis, then hand back the old one and it will be recycled for free.
• Spread the word! Tell your clients that you promote a 'reduce, reuse and recycle' policy and make it clear that you are a 'green' salon that is as environmentally friendly as possible.