With the news of the sunken MT Terra Nova that caused the oil spills in Bataan, there have been outcries for immediate action in cleaning these spills in affected areas in the country.
A post has caught people’s attention and curiosity as the user is asking salons and barbershops to collect all the hair that has been cut in their shops so that it can be donated to Bataan.
The post reads, “Tinatawagan ko po ng pansin ang mga ‘Salon at Barber Shop’ sa buong Bulacan na kung puwede po sana ay paki-ipon po ang mga buhok na pinag gupitan para i-donate po natin sa Bataan para sa pantanggal ng oil-spill. Thank you. Please PM me [I am calling the attention of the ‘Salon and Barber Shops’ all over Bulacan that if possible, please save the hairs that were cut so that we can donate it to Bataan for oil-spill removal. Thank you. Please PM me].”
The question now is, how can human hair contribute to cleaning an oil spill?
Human hair is actually a natural adsorbent which means that when these hairs are dipped into the spillage, it will absorb all the oil thus making the cleaning more faster, efficient, and cost less than other methods.
A study about using hair in cleaning oil spills, states that natural adsorbents have a high chance of success in removing oil from marine water given that they are readily available.
Human hair is hydrophobic which means it repels water due to its cuticle component and has a highly porous cortex such that it can easily absorb other types of products like oil.
The user also shared multiple posts on his account pertaining to hair mats as a way to help clean the oil spill from the affected bodies of water.
Environmental biologist, Megan Murray told BBC that, “The hair mats are very good at terrestrial spills.” She also stated that “it’s a material that is likely to be beneficial for communities that aren’t able to buy the more expensive mainstream products” given that hair is globally accessible to everyone.
This kind of contribution can be highly beneficial for the environment as it can quickly remove the oil at the same time prevent further damage to the bodies of water that have been affected. While hair is being seen as part of the person’s crowning glory as they say, it is evident that it can serve another greater purpose.
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