the euronews An article about a recent solution to a long-standing problem that no one would have thought of: turning hair into a wastewater filter. the Hair recycling The project is led by the Belgian non-profit organization Dung Dung, and the strands of hair needed for the project are collected from hairdressers in the country. Then, with the help of a special machine, the hair is turned into pieces of material that look like doormats or carpets.
The resulting carpet-like filters are placed in drains. Hair filters out harmful substances from sewage before they reach rivers or seas. According to the organization, one kilogram of human hair can filter approximately seven to eight liters of diesel or other pollutants from the water.
Our products are more ethical because we produce them locally, not import them from the other side of the planet. They are made locally to solve local problems
– said Patrick Jansen, co-founder of the project.
What else can it be used for?
Wigs are typically made from long, healthy hair, but a myriad of useful products can also be made from short tresses. It may come as a surprise, but because hair is rich in nitrogen, it can also be used as fertilizer, and some companies are experimenting with hair as a building material.
London-based Biohm is using human hair to produce alternatives to wood-based panel materials and 3D objects. At this year’s London Design Week, studio Sanne Visser presented home products made from human hair.
(Cover photo: Patrick Jansen showing a rug-like piece made from recycled human hair on December 8, 2022. Photo: Eve Herrmann/Reuters)
