A long-standing hairdresser is hoping to trim red tape which she fears will force her to either further increase her prices or close her town centre salon for good.

Tracey Carnell, who owns Freshair on West Street in Tavistock, is battling bureaucracy after being forced to replace her mini-bin with a large commercial wheelie bin.

She has already had to increase the amount she charges customers due to rising costs and now faces having to pay extra costs of disposing of largely hair off-cuts in the large bin.

The new regulations, policed by West Devon Borough Council, require her to have the full-sized wheelie bin for storing the hair for disposal, yet there is nowhere practical to keep the bin in her tiny salon or on the street.

It is also far too big for the small amount of hair waste she generates, blocks access to her loo and has to be moved onto the street when she has to use her front door wheelchair ramp.

Tracey, a sole trader, can only take one customer at a time because of the small size of her salon.

“The council have caused me a big problem with waste disposal,” she said. “They told me my existing collection and disposal timetable didn’t meet the expected regulations or consistency of collection.

“I used to collect hair cuttings daily in a small waste bin and take them home weekly to store in a secure metal container for collection every six weeks by a registered waste disposal company.

“I thought was doing my very best to comply but sadly it appears not.”

“Now I’ve got this monstrosity of a three-foot wheelie bin, which is much too big for a tiny salon blocking my loo and in the way of providing safe access and there’s nowhere I can put the bin on the pavement.

“I can’t see that hair is an environmental hazard and it takes up such little space, especially when I compress it in the bin liner. I’m having to put up my charges for customers to pay for this ridiculous demand and I’m not sure how long I can sustain my business on the high street. Other small businesses must be in the same position.”

“The common sense workaround for all local business doesn’t meet the bureaucracy plaguing us from central government or councils.”

Cllr Jeffrey Moody, West Devon Borough Council lead for waste and recycling, said: “The council has contacted the business owner to provide advice on managing their waste legally and appropriately.

“We understand small businesses can face practical challenges, where space is limited or only small amounts of waste are produced. However, under government environmental legislation all waste from business activity is classed as commercial and legislation requires all businesses to be responsible for making their own lawful arrangements for collection or disposal.

“The council doesn’t currently provide a commercial waste collection service, but officers offer general guidance to help businesses understand their responsibilities and options.

“Businesses must also meet their legal ‘duty of care’ to ensure waste is handled safely and properly.”

Further information is available on the GOV.UK business waste guidance.