Every year, there’s an average of 1.8 major oil spills that happen in the world. These spills are devastating to the surrounding environment. Animals are covered in the slick fluid, and the water turns an unnatural iridescent black.
For even a small spill, the ramifications are devastating. It can take up to 15 years for the damage to be recovered and reversed. Is there a way to quicken the process?
Strange Solutions
There is an unconventional remedy to this manmade problem- mats made of human hair! Yes, you heard that right. The hair on your head has the ability to clean up major disasters caused by oil spills.
How does this happen?
The Creation of Hair Mats
Matter of Trust is an organization that’s been producing hair mats for the last 20+ years. They collect hair from nationwide salons and private donors. They also receive clippings from sheared animals such as llamas, alpacas, and buffalos. All of these different fibers contribute to an absorbent, effective final product.
Workers brush out the hair samples and place them onto a needle-ridden mat. A machine compresses all of the fibers together until a solid, thick fabric forms. As gross as it may seem, it’s actually a very sturdy final product.
Why Does It Work?
Your hair naturally absorbs the oil that your scalp produces, and hair stylist Phil McCrory had this realization in 1989. He realized that this absorption is the only reason why shampooing is necessary.
Since then, hair mats performed exceptionally better than any other methods of oil cleanup. It’s a non-chemical, safe way to reduce the harm of catastrophic incidents that affect the environment.
There’s no added toxins to the water that attempt to reduce the damage of oil spills. This natural method of oil cleanup helps preserve wildlife much better than any other option.
