Human hair helps protect Brazil's coast from oil pollution
A new environmental initiative in Brazil uses donated human hair to build floating barriers that capture oil pollution along the coastline. The method, already used elsewhere, is also helping shield local mangrove areas.
In Guanabara Bay near Rio de Janeiro, a new method for tackling marine oil pollution is being tested — one that relies on human hair, according to Euronews. The approach works because hair fibers naturally attract and hold oily substances.
Hair clippings collected from hairdressing salons are packed into long cotton mesh rolls, which are then attached to a floating barrier already in place for collecting ordinary waste. When polluted water reaches the barrier, oil sticks to the hair and accumulates between the fibers, while clean water continues to flow through. The soiled rolls are later removed and replaced with fresh ones.
According to chemist Carolina Carvalho, these barriers can remain at sea for up to four months, capturing oil that enters the water from ships, illegal spills and other sources. The technique is already used in Chile and the United States, and is now being adopted in Brazil as well, making use of hair that would otherwise be discarded as waste.
The project has an added benefit: the barriers also help protect coastal mangrove areas from pollution. Looking ahead, organizers are considering whether animal fur could also be used to filter and absorb oil.
Local fisherman Sergio Carvalho, speaking to AP, described the severity of the pollution problem. He said oil spills are frequently encountered while fishing with nets, and while the oil stays on the surface, its effects reach roughly a meter and a half deep, causing fish to disappear from affected areas. Fishing communities and environmental groups involved in the project hope the hair barriers will gradually help restore the bay's ecosystem.
