In 1989, a hairdresser from Alabama named Philip McCrory had an idea. If people used shampoo to remove grease from their hair, could it work the other way around? McCrory was watching the coverage of the oil spill in Alaska (Exxon Valdez) and noticed that an otter covered in oil could trap the spilled oil. He wondered: “why not use human hair to clean the oceans?”
Hair as a filter to clean the oceans
Human and dog hair is hydrophobic (repels water) and oleophilic (absorbs oils), characteristics utilized in the cosmetics industry.
McCrory experimented at home with 2.5 kilos of hair from his salon, which he placed inside a stocking forming a “sausage”. By throwing it into a pool with motor oil, he managed to capture most of the oil.
Hair cylinders can clean contaminated waters[/caption>
McCrory took his idea to a research center at NASA in Marshall, where scientists confirmed that hair can absorb up to 8 kg of oil for every kilo of hair. Since then, it has been used on several occasions, such as in the Philippines in 2006 and on the island of Mauritius in 2020, after a ship collision.
Environmental impact and solutions
Oil spills are one of the main causes of environmental pollution in the oceans, affecting marine biodiversity, coasts, and the fishing economy.
Organizations receive donations of hair, called “green hair”, from hair salons, pets, and farms to recycle the fibers. With the hair, they produce cylinders, plates, and devices that absorb oil spills and protect the marine environment and biodiversity.
Although hair donation is a curious and useful solution, the main responsibility still lies with oil companies and States, which must regulate extractivism in the oceans to prevent spills and protect the environment.
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