Human hair recycled in Belgium to protect the environment

Coiffeurs in Belgium are now bagging and securing hair from customers and handing it over at an NGO to recycle it.

Hair Recycle is a project that feeds locks and tresses to a machine that transforms them into matted squares. These can then be used to absorb oil or other hydrocarbons which pollute the environment or made into biocomposite bags.

Patrick Janssen, Project Co-founder, explained that 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of hair can absorb between 1.8 and 2.1 litres (1.8 to 2.1 U.S. Gallons) of oil. He also said that the mats can be placed in drains in order to absorb any pollution in water before it reaches rivers.

He said that his products are ethical because they are made locally. They are created there to address local problems.

On its website, the project stated that hair has powerful characteristics. One strand can support as much as 10 million pounds and is capable of absorbing hydrocarbons and fats. It's also water-soluble due to its keratin fibers and high elastic.

Isabelle Voulkidis is the manager at the Helyode salon, Brussels. She is just one of many hairdressers who pay a small fee for their hair cuttings.

She said that she was motivated by the fact that she doesn't like hair being thrown in the trash.

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