Waste Recovery Explained.

Hair Clippings

Recovered hair can be:

• Composted with organic materials
• Repurposed into bio-composite products like sustainable combs
• Used in environmental and humanitarian applications
• Studied for future clean-tech innovation

Metals (Foils + Tubes)

Aluminum is infinitely recyclable—but salon metals are often contaminated and rejected by local recycling. Over 110,000 lbs are thrown away every day as a result.

Recovered metals are:

• Cleaned to remove chemical contaminants
• Melted down and reused multiple times
• Kept out of landfill where contamination prevents recycling
• Returned to manufacturing as new metal products

Excess Color Waste

When rinsed down the drain, these chemicals can damage plumbing and end up in our drinking water and soil.

Recovered color waste is:

• Safely incinerated in a closed-loop system
• Converted into energy for local power grids
• Prevented from entering water systems and soil
• Kept out of plumbing and wastewater streams

Single-Use Items

Items like nail files, waxing strips, and cotton swabs are designed for one use—but often sit in landfill forever.

Single-use items are:

• Processed through closed-loop energy recovery
• Converted into usable power
• Reduced to ash used in construction materials
• Kept out of landfill and waterways

Paper + Cardboard

Not every salon has access to reliable local recycling, so paper and cardboard often end up trashed—not reused—where they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

Recovered paper is:

• Sorted and aggregated by grade
• Turned into paper pulp
• Recycled into new paper products
• Returned to circulation instead of landfill

Plastics

Not every salon has access to reliable local recycling, so plastics like shampoo bottles are often discarded to landfill, where they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.

Recovered plastics are:

• Sorted and processed by material type
• Mechanically recycled and re-pelletized
• Used to create new plastic products – often for beauty