DAN HEALING

CALGARY - A hoax news release that claimed Calgary-based pipeline company Enbridge Inc. would use human hair to soak up future B.C. oil spills left the company fuming Tuesday.

"'MyHairCares' is a hoax and makes light of a serious issue," said spokeswoman Gina Jordan in a statement. "It is not an Enbridge or Northern Gateway initiative, and Enbridge deplores this cynical attempt to take advantage of public concern about the environment."

The authentic looking release, posted online, claims that Enbridge will turn hair clippings from "over 1,000 participating salons" to create "super-absorbent oil cleanup booms" to deploy as safety measures on the route of its proposed Northern Gateway oil pipeline through B.C.

A news release appearing to be from Greenpeace co-founder Rex Weyler was then sent to media, including the Calgary Herald, but Weyler said in an interview he too was misled.

"Whoever did this phoned me and asked if I would have a comment and I said, 'Sure.' I didn't really check it out," he said from Vancouver.

"I don't know who's behind it but it's not Greenpeace."

Enbridge wowed to vigorously defend its reputation and is considering a legal response, it said.

dhealing@calgaryherald.com