Giving things a second life in the pursuit of zero-waste production — has long since become the norm. But now waste recycling has reached a new level. In Belgium they have figured out how to use the hair left over after a haircut. And this is not about making wigs.
«A kilogram of hair can absorb seven to eight liters of oil and hydrocarbons, — Patrick Janssens, one of the creators of Hair Recycle, told Reuters. — At the same time, each strand can hold a weight 10 million times greater than its own. In addition, hair is soluble and elastic, thanks to the keratin in its composition.»
According to Patrick, thanks to these properties, mats woven from cut strands can be placed, for example, in sewers, so that harmful substances accumulate on them and do not pollute the water itself, which ends up in rivers and lakes. In the future, they plan to make biodegradable bags from the hair, which is collected for the company at hair salons across the Benelux.
The creators of the project also cited the accessibility of the material as a plus — beauty salons are everywhere, so there is no need to transport raw materials. The problem can be solved in any populated area, and very quickly.
