Collins & Lacy, P.C. Launches Hair-to-Spare Campaign to Help Gulf Coast Oil Spill

[COLUMBIA, S.C.] Collins & Lacy, P.C. is launching the “Hair-to-Spare” campaign to help the oil spill clean-up efforts in the Gulf Coast, and the firm is asking all Midlands hair salons to start filling designated garbage bags with hair clippings.  The clippings can be stuffed into booms and sent to help absorb an estimated five million gallons of leaked oil in the Gulf Coast.

On Tuesday, May 25, salons are encouraged to bring the bags of hair-to-spare to 1330 Lady Street, the designated drop-off site in Columbia. From 5:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., contributors will be able to drive up and drop off the bags of hair, which Collins & Lacy will then package and ship to an environmental group called "Matter of Trust." 

“It could take a while to clean up the Gulf Coast. Even though we are miles away, this is one way we and the citizens of South Carolina can help,” said Gray Culbreath, managing partner of Collins & Lacy. 

Hair adheres to oil pretty efficiently, which is why hair gets greasy, according to officials with Matter of Trust. The non-profit organization for the past 10 years has been making "hair booms," which are nylon stockings stuffed with human hair and trimmed animal fur.

"Booms will lie along the beach, the waves will come up, and they'll go through the hair and the nylon. And the hair will grab the oil and then the wave goes back out and it's cleaner," said Lisa Gautier, co-founder of Matter of Trust.

Here are the guidelines for salons wanting to contribute to Hair-to-Spare:

• Set aside a designated box.
• Line the box with a plastic garbage bag so hair cannot escape.
• Any length is fine.
• Every type of hair is fine (straight, curly, dyed)
• Put the hair clippings in the designated bag, but be sure not to include other garbage, such as bobby pins, foils or wrappers.
• Tie the top of the bag with several rubber bands to ensure it is sealed.
• Nylon stocking donations are also accepted. The nylons can be washed, used or contain runs. The nylons will need to be kept in a separate bag.

For more information about the “Hair-to-Spare” campaign going on now through May 25, contact Stefanie Caraviello, director of marketing at Collins & Lacy. She can be reached at scaraviello@collinsandlacy.com or (803) 255-0417.  Also, please visit www.collinsandlacy.com for additional information.

About Collins & Lacy, P.C.

In 2010, Collins & Lacy, P.C., celebrates 26 years of providing legal services to South Carolina.  With offices in Columbia, Greenville and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the firm’s primary focus is defense litigation, representing local, regional, and national clients in the areas of construction, employment law, hospitality/retail & entertainment law, insurance/bad faith, products liability, professional liability, transportation, and workers’ compensation.   Collins & Lacy is committed to upholding the highest standards for integrity, civility, and community service. For information, visit www.collinsandlacy.com.