Blackburn hairdresser's brush with the council over recycling trimmings (From Blackburn Citizen)
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Blackburn hairdresser's brush with the council over recycling trimmings
7:00am Monday 8th February 2010 in News
HAIR TODAY: Jeff Stone must now dispose of his clippings in trade waste sacks
A HAIRDRESSER has slammed “mafia-style” council officers who stopped him recycling the trimmings from his clients.
Jeff Stone said that for the past 40 years he had taken home the hair from his salon in Fleming Square, Blackburn, to use on his compost heap.
But now he has been told he is breaking the law — and the hair must go to landfill because it is classed as “trade waste”.
Mr Stone said he had also been told he could not take home newspapers he buys for customers, because they are purchased with cash from the till.
Along with other shop-keepers, he has been forced to pay £100 for trade waste sacks to be collected from his shop to comply with recycling guidelines.
But documentation sent to him by Blackburn with Darwen council confirmed the bags would be emptied at landfill sites at Whinney Hill, near Accrington, and Withnell near Chorley.
Mr Stone said he was “furious” at the council’s actions and he has been backed up by a number of councillors.
He said: “Every authority on environmental matters recognises that human hair is fantastic compostable material. It’s very biodegradable.
“But a man from the council came in and threatened me with legal action. I was astounded.”
A Blackburn with Darwen council spokesman said Mr Stone had been acting illegally because businesses had a legal duty to ensure their waste was not harming environment.
He added: “They cannot simply take it home, no matter what it is.”
Comments(55)
samspence
says...
7:41am Mon 8 Feb 10
pip-pip
says...
7:48am Mon 8 Feb 10
I am well into the Green agenda and am enraged that my hair will not be recycled - instead it will be put in a non-recyclable plastic bag and placed in landfill (not in Blackburn, but Hyndburn, if you please!!). Yet another arm of the state bearing down on the citizen, directing every episode of our daily life..
I have a plan! I will hand Mr Stone a bag which he will fill with the hair that he has just expertly removed from my head. I shall take it home and put it on the recycle heap.
Now mi'lud, is that illegal?
Hugh Jardon
says...
7:48am Mon 8 Feb 10
Excluded wrote:what more can I say???
How silly.
Jeff Stone is recycling, which is what the Council is meant to be encouraging. The Council should change this policy straightaway.
Old Timer
says...
7:55am Mon 8 Feb 10
The trouble today is people have to justify these non-jobs and so we get these stupid enforcers trying to justify their existance.
Jeff Stone
says...
8:41am Mon 8 Feb 10
antony h
says...
8:56am Mon 8 Feb 10
It is not enough that you pay your taxes and recycle as they tell you to, but now they want to charge you for doing that to, absolutely ridiculous.
happycyclist
says...
9:22am Mon 8 Feb 10
A Darener
says...
9:25am Mon 8 Feb 10
Recycling is just another method by the Government to raise money to fill the EU coffers. To then be wasted on all sorts of stupid schemes or the back pockets of MP's both National and European.
retired one
says...
9:42am Mon 8 Feb 10
Jeff Stone wrote:Exactly.
So if the Chief Executive at BWDBC took newspapers home from the town hall?
pip-pip
says...
10:59am Mon 8 Feb 10
A Darener wrote:I note no comments from the green lobby to support BWDBC on this matter. Either it's too early in the day for them or they are too embarassed to defend the council actions. Those actions giving the good bits of the Green agenda a bad name. A bit like the unfolding inaccuracies in the IPCC reports and it's shady, railway engineer, Chairman, Dr Rajendra Pachauri.
This story should finally put to bed the idea that recycling is necessary to "save" the planet.
Recycling is just another method by the Government to raise money to fill the EU coffers. To then be wasted on all sorts of stupid schemes or the back pockets of MP's both National and European.
Grumpy_Tyke
says...
11:35am Mon 8 Feb 10
Jeff Stone wrote:Miss appropriation of council property?
So if the Chief Executive at BWDBC took newspapers home from the town hall?
Mikeee47
says...
11:48am Mon 8 Feb 10
But look at the size of our tiny little island, & compare it with the bigger polluters. U.S.A, China, Russia, Canada, until these resuce their carbon footprints the small amount we produce is paltry in comparison, yet eveyrone is demanding we reduce ours,
ahhhh yeah I see it now, we don't produce anything now, all our Products are imported from these super powers, we wouldn't want to upset them now would we,
Some one sold this country out,
I wish I had hair I could re cycle.
cutthebull
says...
12:26pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Just a thought!
Get a grip pen pushers!
stealer
says...
1:35pm Mon 8 Feb 10
But technically I guess you are correct.
What are the tax implications of receiving gifts from customers ?
What about the theft of customers hair over the forty year period ?
stealer
says...
1:44pm Mon 8 Feb 10
If I break up rubble to use as drainage
in my garden 'soak',can the council claim cost ?
ghost of sceptic
says...
2:50pm Mon 8 Feb 10
ghost of sceptic
says...
3:02pm Mon 8 Feb 10
happycyclist
says...
3:59pm Mon 8 Feb 10
cutthebull wrote:Good question, cutthebull.
Humm I wonder if jeff cuts my hair & ask for it back as it belongs to me, so it's my property but then I choose to give it to him, the council are demanding it from him so that becomes theft as they have no legal right over HIS property which he can do as he wishes?????
Just a thought!
Get a grip pen pushers!
Alternatively, he could give the customers their hair back in a little bag which would probably cost him less than the £100pa he now has to spend on council-provided bags. They could just then pop them in the nearest litter bin or take it home to recycle themselves.
But...
There was a case last year of a cycle shop owner who recycled all his commercial waste such as the big cardboard bokes and aluminium bike parts, and the local council (not BwDBC) then fined him for not filling the sacks they had provided.
Recycling is a big con.
anotherview
says...
4:46pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Hugh Jardon
says...
5:06pm Mon 8 Feb 10
You will see a very similar tale there.
Oh..any similarity between this & the one on the blogsite is purely coincidental...perha
ps!
Hugh Jardon
says...
5:18pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Guess what??..Mrs Jardon's hairdresser doesn't!
SO LT..become proper journalists & get to the bottom of this!
Hugh Jardon
says...
5:52pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Hugh Jardon
says...
6:59pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Grumpy_Tyke wrote:is the Daily Sport actually a newspaper?
Jeff Stone wrote:Miss appropriation of council property?
So if the Chief Executive at BWDBC took newspapers home from the town hall?
I'd hate to think just what he would get up to whilst 'reading' that!
Jeff Stone
says...
7:30pm Mon 8 Feb 10
phoenixclublad
says...
7:42pm Mon 8 Feb 10
pip-pip
says...
8:05pm Mon 8 Feb 10
We are not going to change things until the 'cuts' cut in and all the expensive non-jobbers are let go. In the meantime, we can have fun poking them with a sharp stick.
Sox
says...
8:27pm Mon 8 Feb 10
cutthebull
says...
8:29pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Also I know a funeral home that uses shreded paper usually junk mail etc to fill the pillows in the coffins for the bodies heading to the crem, humm wonder where they stand?
Jeff Stone
says...
8:50pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Michael@ClitheroeSince58
says...
9:05pm Mon 8 Feb 10
local chap
says...
10:42pm Mon 8 Feb 10
retired one
says...
11:29pm Mon 8 Feb 10
I am sure that you will fight on Geoff as you have put a lot into speaking up on various matters.
Good luck.
retired one
says...
11:30pm Mon 8 Feb 10
retired one wrote:Sorry I should have said Jeff.
It's just a con to get another £100 for the trade waste sacks. I am sure that you will fight on Geoff as you have put a lot into speaking up on various matters. Good luck.
recycling con job
says...
12:10am Tue 9 Feb 10
If you go to either the household waste recycling centre on george st west in Blackburn or the one on springvale rd in Darwen the staff have been instructed to tell people to throw laminated flooring (which can't be recycled) in with the wood to get the percentage up, They also have been told to allow trade waste on site as long as it can be recycled without a permit, If you don't beleive me go down and watch how many vans come in with green waste and are allowed to tip and see how many times in a week they are there instead of just the once per month as permitted. You will also see builders coming on site in cars at least several times a day getting rid of thier rubble overloaded and with the wheel arches rubbing on the tyres of some of the unroad worthy vehicles.
Blackburn & Darwen are not bothered as long as the figures get to the target it does not matter how they acheive it, Oh and I have even seen them stick the fire hose in the cardboard skip to get extra weight too.
Slimplynth
says...
10:13am Tue 9 Feb 10
Hugh Jardon
says...
10:18am Tue 9 Feb 10
Slimplynth wrote:Duhhh...re-read what you have just posted.
Its not an 'opt-out' legal system. You can't decide to employee illegal immigrants just because you want to pay less than the legal minimum wage. Has anyone in favour of him composting hair done any testing to see if the hair products or breakdown products resulting might accumulate in vegetables that could be a given in good faith but contain harmful toxins? No - and thats why there's a law to control such activities. It's not like a pic-n-mix legal system.
Are you REALLY suggesting that no crops would be grown on a land fill site ever?
I do hope that you are not posting tripe like this in council time!
Slimplynth
says...
1:06pm Tue 9 Feb 10
.
The reference I was making pertained to the illegal immigrants recently found working in Blackburn. There are many reasons why laws surrounding business exist, how many more government pen pushers do you want to employ to go through each business, one by one to see if every law is applicable?
That's the point I was trying to make.
People only tolerate/want laws when it doesn't affect them or supports something they dislike.
And as for old refuse sites being used for food production, I'd want to see independant testing performed before I'd eat any veg. Are you saying this happens?
BRFC 1
says...
2:13pm Tue 9 Feb 10
Hugh Jardon
says...
2:15pm Tue 9 Feb 10
Slimplynth wrote:OK...
Hugh, I admit that's not my most eloquent of posts, i shouldn't rush them (end of a 15 minute break) but the point is valid. (No I don't work for the council) but I do have a have a strong science background/education
.
The reference I was making pertained to the illegal immigrants recently found working in Blackburn. There are many reasons why laws surrounding business exist, how many more government pen pushers do you want to employ to go through each business, one by one to see if every law is applicable?
That's the point I was trying to make.
People only tolerate/want laws when it doesn't affect them or supports something they dislike.
And as for old refuse sites being used for food production, I'd want to see independant testing performed before I'd eat any veg. Are you saying this happens?
I too have a strong scientific background..hence my acidic response. There was no personal offence intended.
In terms of the crud that could be attributed to hair products etc, I'll consult my sister ('waterboard' micro biologist)..she'll know.
I wouldn't be too worried about veg..have you not considered what events could have happened below your very feet many many years ago?
However, I'd avoid Mechanically Extracted meat if I was you.
Pls consider that I know a bit more about THIS particular matter than has been reported in the LET.
In my opinion the DEFRA guidelines are being abused, in this instance.
In addition I would be interested to know just how many other hairdressers have been targeted by the council??
If only a handful are, then it is a pic n mix legal system.
We then go onto the subject of what is classed as TRADE WASTE.
Jeff provides reading material for his clients. It would seem that he can no longer take that home to be disposed of in an ethical manner... just how much literature do council officials take home from work?
Could THIS be classed as TRADE WASTE?
To me, this seems to be yet another case of a jumped up jobsworth trying to make a name for himself.
ATB
HJ
ghost of sceptic
says...
2:57pm Tue 9 Feb 10
Hugh Jardon
says...
4:03pm Tue 9 Feb 10
dcontent.com/article
/1655225/composting_
human_hair_earthfrie
ndly.html
Jeff Stone
says...
7:01pm Tue 9 Feb 10
Keratin/Oxygen/hydro
gen/copper iron(trace), complex polypeptide/amino acids, all of which make hair easily broken down in typical compostation where healthy alchaline medium is maintained. The question of hair products is also interesting. The vast majority are water soluble and in any event not present after shampooing and when added at the end of the cut, do not ingress into waste.
Hope this helps and thanks for your input.
Jeffrey.
Slimplynth
says...
7:13pm Tue 9 Feb 10
I was only using that as an example as to why these (oft seen as nonsensical) laws exist; it would be prohibitively expensive. A vast work force to check every business on an individual basis and inspectors don't come cheap.
I have a possible explanation for the pic 'n' mix observed. He's probably the only Barber in town who's thought of composting hair.
Imagine his trade waste bill for the year landing on an eager clerk's desk.. "How much!" I can imagine how the conversation might have not gone so well, the clerk could've had an hangover from the night before and in no mood for Mr Stone, who could've had a chip on his shoulder.
Do business' need more guidance on how to benefit the environment and advice on overcoming obstacles like the law in question? Probably; there'll be a protocol to follow and Mr Stone should have followed it and maybe hapiness could have been the status quo.
The council eventually end up looking like birks at some point but on this occassion I'm not sure they have.
Jeff Stone
says...
7:17pm Tue 9 Feb 10
Yesterday,I asked that everyone should ask their local town hall about the number of newspapers purchesed for the delectation of council officers, do the officers take them home and are they breaking DEFRA rules by so doing. I can now exclusively reveal that BWDBC purchase some 31 (yes) 31 daily newspapers for staff and on some hot news days, it goes up to 33. Mr. William Lee in the facilities office gladly provided me with the info(WILL, I AND MANY OTHERS ARE VERY PROUD OF YOU) and in my view should be promoted!
I now intend to demand just how many of these newspapers are accounted for at the end of every day by the DWDBC's trade waste person.
ANY OFFERS?
Hugh Jardon
says...
7:54pm Tue 9 Feb 10
Slimplynth wrote:the point is (as eluded to on the tory aardvark blogsite) is that jeff could well be the only hairdresser who now 'complies' with this ruling.
No worries HJ, no offense taken. I'm keen to hear what your sister's point of view on that specific example is... Genetics being by BSc (I know, two a penny these days :0) and you need a PhD at least to be a pro.)
I was only using that as an example as to why these (oft seen as nonsensical) laws exist; it would be prohibitively expensive. A vast work force to check every business on an individual basis and inspectors don't come cheap.
I have a possible explanation for the pic 'n' mix observed. He's probably the only Barber in town who's thought of composting hair.
Imagine his trade waste bill for the year landing on an eager clerk's desk.. "How much!" I can imagine how the conversation might have not gone so well, the clerk could've had an hangover from the night before and in no mood for Mr Stone, who could've had a chip on his shoulder.
Do business' need more guidance on how to benefit the environment and advice on overcoming obstacles like the law in question? Probably; there'll be a protocol to follow and Mr Stone should have followed it and maybe hapiness could have been the status quo.
The council eventually end up looking like birks at some point but on this occassion I'm not sure they have.
In addition many a business could fold, due to this 'eco' tax.
All we want is a level playing field for all.
ATB
HJ
ps,
I'd suggest that a number betweeb 30 & 32 newspapers ares taken home...
wotever
says...
8:57pm Tue 9 Feb 10
Slimplynth
says...
9:48pm Tue 9 Feb 10
Jeff Stone
says...
10:05pm Tue 9 Feb 10
Hugh Jardon
says...
6:41pm Thu 11 Feb 10
wotever wrote:Oooh..look at the little hero, hiding behind the screen of his 'My Little Pony PC"!
Ah look how sad he looks with his dustpan full of hair - probably dumps his rubbish everywhere and then moans when he gets caught
Grow up...child!
wotever
says...
7:18pm Thu 11 Feb 10
Hugh Jardon
says...
8:30pm Thu 11 Feb 10
wotever wrote:I assume that English is not your first language?
I'm entitled to my comments you hardon, if you don't like it don't read it moron
Slimplynth
says...
5:04pm Fri 12 Feb 10
wotever
says...
2:29pm Sat 13 Feb 10
Slimplynth wrote:My conclusions are not unfounded I do know him and I have given my opinion and I don't care about his millionaire pad he wants to get on and stop moaning about a bit of hair he looks like what he is Stone the Crone who does nothing but Moan
Wotever you make a point, in proving Hugh right. You can't just jump to unfounded conclusions about someone you don't know, or haven't said you know. You should have applied what grown ups call a 'balanced opinion'.
Hugh Jardon
says...
2:45pm Sat 13 Feb 10
wotever wrote:Oh Dear...it hasn't dawnd on you that there will be many a business who cannot afford this 'taxation'.
Slimplynth wrote:My conclusions are not unfounded I do know him and I have given my opinion and I don't care about his millionaire pad he wants to get on and stop moaning about a bit of hair he looks like what he is Stone the Crone who does nothing but Moan
Wotever you make a point, in proving Hugh right. You can't just jump to unfounded conclusions about someone you don't know, or haven't said you know. You should have applied what grown ups call a 'balanced opinion'.
In addition, just how many other hairdressers ect are being hit with this?
..,,,!!
I'm leaving these fullstops, commas & exclamation marks for the next time that you post.
Excluded says...
7:17am Mon 8 Feb 10
Jeff Stone is recycling, which is what the Council is meant to be encouraging. The Council should change this policy straightaway.