Pittwater Life July 2019 Issue

Hair care that’s not costing the earth
When Deborah Grevett opened
Papillon Hair in Avalon a year
and a half ago she introduced a
range of eco-friendly practices to
become Pittwater’s first ‘Sustainable
Salon’.
The salon uses natural products,
reuses and recycles as much as
possible and aims for 95 per cent of
waste to be saved from landfill.
“We built our own in-house bins
and have a hole in the ground where
we sweep hair,” Deborah said. “Foil,
plastic, paper, hair and chemical
waste is all recycled correctly.”
The team received training and
information from a salon-specific
waste recovery service, Sustainable
Salons, which collects and recycles hair, paper, plastics, metals
including aluminium foil, chemicals, razors and hairdressing
tools from hair, beauty and dog grooming businesses around
the country.
“All plastic is melted down and turned into the NBN plastic
protective covers, or into park benches that will last for
hundreds of years,” Deborah said.
“The hair that we send off is turned in hair booms – all the
hair goes into a giant stocking-like sock that can be used to
help clean up oil spills.”
Deborah said staff embraced the waste reduction and
recycling concept wholeheartedly.
“Most of us already recycle at
home and managing the salon waste
this way is actually easier than not
recycling, it’s all organised and so
much cleaner,” she said.
“We now only have the tiniest
waste bag of rubbish per day and
the amount of recycling we are
doing makes us all so happy, it’s
very rewarding.”
There is a small $2 ‘green fee’ for
all clients – but there hasn’t been a
customer who hasn’t contributed,
for the good of the planet.
The fee goes to Sustainable Salons
to help cover costs for the bin
collection.
All proceeds from repurposing
salon materials in Australia are donated to OzHarvest to
distribute meals for those in need.
Avalon beauty salon Facial Impressions recently joined the
program and there are now 30 salons on the northern beaches
that are part of the Sustainable Salon network.
“Knowing our waste is all recycled or only re-used within
Australia makes us satisfied in knowing it’s all going to a good
cause,” Deborah said.
“We’re proud to be making a difference to ensure that
our waterways are cleaner, rubbish tips less full and our
environment saved for future generations to come,” she said.
– Lisa Offord
News
The Local Voice Since 1991
JULY 2019 15