Americas News
Waste Hair Redeployed to Tackle Oily Water
Tuesday June 4, 2024
Waste human and animal hair can be used to clean up marine environments.
A Chilean group based in the country's capital, Santiago, has found that hair's natural absorbent qualities can tackle coastal and waterway pollution.
Tube-like booms made out of mesh and filled with hair can trap oil in lakes, streams, coasts and other waterways.
"A single kilo of hair can clean on average five liters of hydrocarbons," Mattia Carenini, general manager of Matter of Trust Chile, was quoted as saying by Reuters. Carenini added that sometimes upwards of nine liters can be cleaned.
The mesh booms are placed in waterways for up to 50 days, Carenini explained, capturing contaminants by adhesion.
