Answers to the questions
salons ask us most.

Green Circle Salons is a sustainability program that helps salons recover and recycle beauty waste that would otherwise go to landfill or waterways. Through a verified recovery system, training, and ongoing support, we make it easy for salons to operate more sustainably—without disrupting daily operations. We are a Certified B Corp and NSF Landfill-Free Verified company.

The program helps salons reduce waste with built-in training, verified recovery systems, and flexible funding options. Many salons are able to cover program costs—and even create a new revenue stream—while offering guests a more responsible salon experience. Salons can also access trusted partners for additional sustainability tools.

The program is designed to fit seamlessly into daily salon life. Instead of throwing waste in the trash, your team places it into clearly labeled collection bins. When a box is full, you schedule a pickup through your member portal—and Green Circle Salons takes care of the rest.

The program is designed for beauty businesses of all sizes. It works for independent artists, single- and multi-location salons, barbershops, spas, and nail salons, with options tailored to different waste volumes.

Green Circle Salons is built specifically for the beauty industry, with a verified system to back it up. Our program combines independently verified waste recovery, transparent impact tracking, and hands-on support from a team that understands salon life—making sustainability practical, credible, and easy to manage day to day. Everything from our operations to waste management is done right here in North America.

Together with a community of over 16,000 beauty professionals, our award-winning program has helped recover more than 13 million pounds of beauty waste since 2009.That collective impact is helping shift the beauty industry from a major waste contributor to a leader in sustainability.

Members receive clear tools and support to help communicate the program with confidence.

This includes onboarding and refresher training, guest-friendly signage, and ready-to-use digital assets—so your team can easily explain where waste goes and why it matters.

Green Circle Salons provides ready-to-use tools to help salons share their sustainability story with confidence. These include a Green Salon Directory listing, in-salon signage, social and digital assets, and impact reporting that make it easy to show guests the difference they’re helping create.

Yes—members can track their impact throughout the year. Your member portal includes real-time reporting on the waste you’ve recovered, along with shareable impact summaries and an annual Waste Recovery Certificate.

When you sign up, you receive everything needed to launch the program smoothly.

This includes a welcome kit with collection tools and signage, access to training and ongoing support, and certification assets that help you communicate your sustainability commitment with confidence.

Most salons only need to supply basic items like collection bins or transparent bags, depending on their program. Green Circle Salons provides the specialized materials needed to collect excess hair color and manage waste recovery.

If you need to cancel your membership, simply contact our team by phone @ 1-877-424-3327. For account security, cancellations are handled directly with the business owner or an authorized manager, and we ask for 30 days’ notice to complete the process.

Refunds are available within the first three months for unused enrollment materials. Returned welcome kits or unused boxes are subject to a 30% restocking fee, and refunds aren’t available for services already completed.

Getting started includes a one-time enrollment fee, which varies based on your program.

Enrollment typically ranges from $75–$250 and covers your welcome kit and setup. You can build a personalized estimate based on your salon’s needs.

Yes—many salons can use loyalty points or brand incentives to help cover program costs.

Available options vary, so we recommend booking a discovery call to explore what’s currently available for your salon.

Many salons cover program costs by introducing a small Green Fee or building it into service pricing. This approach allows sustainability to fund itself, while giving salons flexibility to choose what works best for their business and guests. Any funding model should be compliant with local consumer protection legislation.

Shipping box size depends on the program you’re enrolled in. Studio program boxes are 12” × 12” × 30”, while High Volume program boxes are 16” × 16” × 34”. Boxes arrive flat, are pre-labelled, and include carbon-neutral shipping.

Yes—members also receive access to additional perks designed to support their business. This includes exclusive discounts, cost-saving offers, and member-only benefits available through the Green Circle Salons portal.

Green Circle Salons recycles and recovers the most common beauty waste streams generated in salons.This includes hair clippings, excess hair color, foils and metals, single-use items, and many paper and plastic materials. Members receive a detailed materials guide to help maximize recovery.

You can adjust your box deliveries at any time through your member portal.

As your needs change, you can update your subscription or order additional boxes whenever needed. Our Member Success team is also available to help.

Recovered hair clippings are repurposed in a variety of meaningful ways. Depending on the material and need, hair can be composted, transformed into new products, or used in research and environmental applications—keeping it out of landfill and waterways.

Salon metals like foils, color tubes, and aerosol cans are recycled through verified facilities.

Once collected, metals are cleaned, sorted, and recycled into new materials—keeping both metal and chemical residue out of landfill and the environment.

Excess hair color and liquid chemicals are safely collected and responsibly processed.

Materials are handled through licensed partners and converted into energy through a controlled process—preventing them from entering waterways or the environment.

Single-use salon and spa items are responsibly recovered through a verified process.

These materials are converted into energy in a controlled system, helping divert waste from landfills while supporting responsible resource recovery.

Paper and cardboard are recycled through established recycling partners.

Materials are sorted and processed into pulp that’s used to create new paper products or insulation.

Accepted plastics are sorted, cleaned, and recycled through verified partners.

These materials are processed and reused to create new products, helping keep plastic waste out of landfills.