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How human hair is making waves in ocean cleanups as a free, highly effective & never-ending resource

Source: YouTube/MatterofTrust

The Clean Wave Program felts waste fibres into mats that soak up petrochemicals, and the organisation says human hair is the most effective of all.

Hair mats for oil spills

You shampoo because hair collects oil. Clean Wave hair mats use clippings from salons, pet groomers, and fleece farmers to make felted, oil-adsorbent products such as booms and matting.

Conventionally, polypropylene materials are used to soak up spills. In other words, we are drilling oil to clean up oil.
More than 50% of petrochemical pollutants enter waterways via rain runoff, mixing with oil on streets and surfaces. Conventionally, polypropylene materials are used to soak up spills. In other words, we are drilling oil to clean up oil. Source: Facebook/matteroftrust

Other fibres are used in the matting but human hair seems to be most effective

The idea of using human hair to mop up oil spills dates from the Exxon Valdez accident in 1989. Watching the unfolding disaster on television, Alabama hair stylist Phil McCory noticed how hard it was for volunteers to clean oil from otters’ fur, and thought to himself: "If animal fur can trap and hold spilled oil, why can’t human hair?"

So he staged a home oil spill to test this theory, pouring a gallon of used motor oil into his son’s paddling pool. He then dunked in a pair of his wife’s tights stuffed with clippings from his salon. Within two minutes, the DIY boom had sucked up all the oil.

He then upscaled this brainwave into a business making oil spill mats from hair purchased in China. For the past 20 years, his company has worked with the Matter of Trust charity to establish a hair recycling system to find a use for all the hair and fur cut off by stylists and pet groomers each day. As far back as  2010, the charity’s figures suggested this amounted to 370,000 pounds/167,830 kg of hair, and 300,000 pounds/136,000 kg of fur, a day in the US alone.

While fur, horsehair and feathers are also used in the booms, the charity says human hair seems to be most effective as it has less natural oil and so more capacity to catch spilled oil.

How can I donate hair/fur/fleece? Click here to find out.

Source: BBC

Hair, fur and fleece are being diverted from landfills and being recycled into useful resources. You can help Matter of Trust  to create jobs, clean water, promote sorting for recycling, and reduce our carbon footprint.
Natural, renewable fibres are going to waste even though they are as effective as synthetics. Hair, fur and fleece are being diverted from landfills and being recycled into useful resources. You can help Matter of Trust to create jobs, clean water, promote sorting for recycling, and reduce our carbon footprint. Source: MatterofTrust.org
- Protecting storm drains from oily runoff - For inlet guards to catch leaves and trash - Recycled motor oil exchange depots - Beneath leaky machinery and vehicles - Lining drip pans to reduce liquid spills.
The booms and matting have many uses: – Protecting storm drains from oily runoff – For inlet guards to catch leaves and trash – Recycled motor oil exchange depots – Beneath leaky machinery and vehicles – Lining drip pans to reduce liquid spills. Source: Facebook/matteroftrust

“This is something where everybody can contribute.”

Matter of Trust cofounder Lisa Craig Gautier’s vision is to have 300 satellite locations around the world “to avoid the crazy carbon footprint of shipping a natural resource all over the planet.” 

Ten satellite locations already exist, including in Chile, Japan, Finland, Greece, England, France, Belgium and Spain. “At Matter of Trust Chile, for instance, they created these amazing kiosks where people can charge their phones with reused batteries from old scooters while at the same time donating their hair,” Gautier told ReasonsToBeCheerful

In Oklahoma, a husky dog rescue participates. In rural areas, alpaca farms and sheep shearers send their surplus. “People are always asking what they can do,” Gautier says. “This is something where everybody can contribute.”

What happens to the saturated mats? 

“After major oil spills, the hazardous material ends up in landfills or incineration,” Gautier explains. “Landfills are not my favourite.” Matter of Trust has tried to compost used mats, and has found some success experimenting with various fungi, worms and thermophilic composting to turn the hazardous waste into healthy compost. “After 18 months, we got some good compost,” she says, “but it remains a tricky issue.”

Source: ReasonsToBeCheerful

- 60 x 60 x 2 cm mats – 700+ grams each - 30 x 120 x 2 cm mats – 700+ grams each - Custom sizes also available.
The mats come in different sizes: – 60 x 60 x 2 cm mats – 700+ grams each – 30 x 120 x 2 cm mats – 700+ grams each – Custom sizes also available. Source: MatterofTrust.org
Ultimately, when fully saturated, they can also be cleanly incinerated for energy. Whereas conventional booms and pads are more hazardous to dispose of and can break open, spilling toxic beads and micro plastics into the environment.
Clean Wave Mats are fast-acting and all-natural, made from hair, fur, and fleece. Ultimately, when fully saturated, they can also be cleanly incinerated for energy. Whereas conventional booms and pads are more hazardous to dispose of and can break open, spilling toxic beads and micro plastics into the environment. Source: Facebook/matteroftrust
How hair helps: adsorption not absorption “Each follicle [strand] of hair has an enormous amount of surface area. It’s not soaking up the oil [absorption], it’s not blowing up like a sponge – the oil is coating the outside [adsorption],” says Lisa Gautier, founder of the ecological charity Matter of Trust. Source: MatterofTrust.org
The hair mats or booms can be placed around storm drains and act as natural filters, soaking up oil and trapping debris such as cigarette butts.
Instead of big oil spills, Matter of Trust now focuses on storm drains and the motor oil leaks from roadways. The hair mats or booms can be placed around storm drains and act as natural filters, soaking up oil and trapping debris such as cigarette butts. Source: Facebook/matteroftrust
These mats are extremely durable and can be driven over by trucks and ski mobiles. They can survive the elements and are hydrophobic.
Oil gets into waterways from spills, leaky vehicles, chemicals dumped into storm drains, accidents, etc. These mats are extremely durable and can be driven over by trucks and ski mobiles. They can survive the elements and are hydrophobic. Source: MatterofTrust.org
Pilot projects determine regional price points for mats per market in order to ensure fair trade for local felters.
Matter of Trust has partnered with the US Air Force and multiple municipalities. Pilot projects determine regional price points for mats per market in order to ensure fair trade for local felters. Source: MatterofTrust.org
Volunteers use Matter of Trust hair mats to clean up the oil spilt on Ocean Beach in San Francisco. Source: MatterofTrust.org
‘We are actively seeking international locations to reduce our carbon footprint. We anticipate that countries will produce mats to meet their demand after feasibility has been demonstrated. The machines can be made in the US and shipped, or manufactured on site.’
Matter of Trust’s satellite felting hubs: USA (3), UK (2), EU (5), Switzerland, Scandinavia, Chile, Japan… ‘We are actively seeking international locations to reduce our carbon footprint. We anticipate that countries will produce mats to meet their demand after feasibility has been demonstrated. The machines can be made in the US and shipped, or manufactured on site.’ Source: MatterofTrust.org
We accept donations of hair, fur, fleece clippings, feathers, laundry lint… from individuals, salons, groomers, farmers… We sort these into useful stockpiles by length and manufacture felted mats products that soak up petrochemicals and help keep waterways clean. We are creating replicable, sustainable, local green jobs and providing education on renewable resources and recycling.’
‘Our goal is to divert fibres from the waste stream… We accept donations of hair, fur, fleece clippings, feathers, laundry lint… from individuals, salons, groomers, farmers… We sort these into useful stockpiles by length and manufacture felted mats products that soak up petrochemicals and help keep waterways clean. We are creating replicable, sustainable, local green jobs and providing education on renewable resources and recycling.’ Source: MatterofTrust
Watching the unfolding disaster on television, Alabama hair stylist Phil McCory noticed how hard it was for volunteers to clean oil from otters' fur, and thought to himself:
Hair mail: the idea of using human hair to mop up oil spills dates from the Exxon Valdez accident in 1989. Watching the unfolding disaster on television, Alabama hair stylist Phil McCory noticed how hard it was for volunteers to clean oil from otters’ fur, and thought to himself: “If animal fur can trap and hold spilled oil, why can’t human hair?” Source: MatterofTrust
“The hair mats divert natural fibres from landfills, create sustainable green jobs and clean up our waterways in the process,” says Gautier. “It’s humanity’s solution to humanity’s problem.”
Matter of Trust founder and president Lisa Craig Gautier. “The hair mats divert natural fibres from landfills, create sustainable green jobs and clean up our waterways in the process,” says Gautier. “It’s humanity’s solution to humanity’s problem.” Source: Matteroftrust.org

Research & Resources

A research and resource page is dedicated to those who want to dive deeper into both the background and the science of the Clean Wave Program. Here you will find lab results, university research papers, lesson plans, demonstration videos, FAQs, useful flyers and more! LEARN MORE

In the first Iraq war in 1991, when retreating Iraqi soldiers released million tonnes of oil into the Persian Gulf, New Zealand sent booms filled with sheep's wool that could soak up 40 times their weight in oil to help with the clean-up.
Fur fact: In the first Iraq war in 1991, when retreating Iraqi soldiers released million tonnes of oil into the Persian Gulf, New Zealand sent booms filled with sheep’s wool that could soak up 40 times their weight in oil to help with the clean-up. Source: Matteroftrust.org
Learn about Matter of Trust’s Clean Wave Program! Did you know that hair can clean up oil spills? Through the Clean Wave Program, we put an abundant natural resource to good use. Learn all about what we do at Matter of Trust and why we do it! Source: Facebook/MatterofTrust
Make an Impact

HOW CAN I HELP? GIVING OPTIONS

There are a number of ways you can help this worthwhile endeavour without shaving your head, but that is of course an option too.