Dr. Karen Bell
Keep Liberty Beautiful
New recycling initiative gives human hair a second life through TerraCycle’s SalonCycle program. Most people leave the salon thinking about a fresh haircut, a new color, or a style transformation, not where the clippings on the floor end up.
But for one local salon and Keep Liberty Beautiful (KLB), those leftover strands represent an opportunity to reduce waste and rethink what can be recycled. Keep Liberty Beautiful is partnering with Styles by Monique Chantel in Hinesville to launch a new recycling effort through TerraCycle’s SalonCycle program, helping divert human hair from landfills and turning it into a resource that benefits the environment.
The initiative supports KLB’s ongoing mission to promote environmental stewardship, reduce waste, and encourage sustainable practices throughout Liberty County. Keep Liberty Beautiful is a community- focused environmental education and outreach program that works to improve the quality of life in Liberty County through litter prevention, waste reduction, beautification projects, recycling programs, and environmental education opportunities. Through partnerships with residents, businesses, schools, and volunteers, KLB continues to explore creative ways to keep reusable and recyclable materials out of the waste stream.
This newest partnership highlights an often- overlooked recyclable material, human hair. Hair may seem insignificant once it falls to the floor, but salons generate large amounts of waste every year. Traditionally, most salon waste, including hair clippings, has been sent directly to landfills. TerraCycle’s SalonCycle program offers another option. SalonCycle, created through a partnership between TerraCycle and SalonCentric, was developed to help salons recycle materials that are often difficult or impossible to process through traditional recycling systems. The program accepts a variety of salon waste, including metal color tubes, hair foils, empty plastic product containers, disposable gloves, masks, used coffee cups, and human hair. Through this initiative, hair collected at participating salons is composted or incorporated into industrial and commercial fertilizers, helping transform what was once considered waste into a useful resource.
For Styles by Monique Chantel, joining the program reflects a commitment to both beauty and sustainability. Hair designer Monique Chante’l, who relocated to the area, brings more than 13 years of experience as a master cosmetologist and offers a wide range of specialty services.
“I’m excited and looking forward to providing clients with the best in hair care,” she said. “I offer healthy hair services, designer cuts, hair extensions, hair color, custom wigs, makeup, and eyelash extensions. I continue attending hair shows, seminars, and classes to stay current with the newest and most fashionable styles. My goal is to help make people feel even more beautiful than they already are.”
Styles by Monique Chantel is located at 229 W. General Screven Way in Hinesville. Now, clients visiting the salon can also feel good knowing that their appointment may help conserve the environment.
Participating in Salon-Cycle follows a simple four-step process. First, salons order designated SalonCycle composting boxes designed specifically for collecting human hair clippings. The boxes are delivered directly to the salon. Next, hair clippings are collected during normal salon operations. Once the boxes are full, salons ship them back using a pre-affixed UPS shipping label. After TerraCycle receives the material, the collected hair is processed through industrial composting or incorporated into commercial fertilizer applications. Finally, salons reorder collection boxes and continue the cycle.
TerraCycle encourages businesses to use local recycling and composting solutions whenever possible, but programs such as SalonCycle provide an environmentally responsible option for materials not typically accepted by local systems. The project reflects a broader commitment to looking at waste differently.
Many people never think about human hair as something that can be recycled, but programs like this remind us that sustainability starts by asking better questions about what we throw away. When we take materials that were once considered waste and find a productive use for them, we reduce landfill impact and create opportunities to protect natural resources. Every small action adds up, and partnerships like this show that environmental solutions can happen in places we visit every day.
Initiatives like the salon recycling program also encourage businesses and residents to think creatively about reducing waste and supporting a circular economy. Keep Liberty Beautiful hopes this partnership inspires additional local businesses to explore innovative recycling opportunities and consider how everyday operations can contribute to environmental improvement. For salons interested in participating in TerraCycle’s SalonCycle program or learning more about recycling difficult materials, information is available from Terra-Cycle or KLB. For more information about local environmental programs and community partnerships, contact Keep Liberty Beautiful at (912) 880-4888 or email klcb@libertycountyga.gov.
Sometimes, creating a cleaner community starts with the smallest things, even a strand of hair.