Hair
All that hair could have been thrown out for landfill, and what a waste of potential that would be!
Hair is one of the most underestimated renewable resources out there. That’s why we’ve done the research and developed new ways to use hair, as oil absorbing booms, a high grade fertiliser and even in your tech!
What do we accept?
- Hair Clippings
- Ponytails
- Virgin/Natural Hair
- Coloured Hair
- Human Hair Extensions
- Clean, dry pet hair from body and legs
- Synthetic Hair
- Metal Clips
- General Waste
- Pet hair from sanitary area
- Pet hair that’s matted, dirty, has fleas or poo
What do we do with all that hair?
Hair Booms
Why do hair booms matter?
Synthetic booms and chemical dispersants cause damaging long term side effects on the environment.
Hair booms however, are an organic alternative that’s even more effective at soaking up oil. A standard boom can soak up to 4L of oil and can even be drained and reused up to two more times. Talk about the power of hair!
How are hair booms made?
To make a hair boom, a filter stocking is stretched over a piece of pipe, then hair and fur is stuffed into it. Once it’s packed in we simply tie it up then BOOM you’ve got a hair boom!
And there you have it, hair and fur that’s been swept up by our members get a second life!
We’ve done our research
Rebecca Pagnucco
with Paul Frasca, co-founder of Sustainable Salons
University of Technology Sydney
Thanks to our salon members, Sustainable Salons supplied Rebecca with all the hair clippings she could possibly need for her Masters research, and it was all worth it! Her final results showed that,
“not only is hair capable of adsorbing oil at high rates, but hair is also relatively more efficient at adsorbing oil than other materials“
Research Paper: Comparative efficacy of hair and commercial sorbents used in crude oil remediation (2017)
Rebecca now works as a Principal Policy Officer for the NSW Environmental Protection Agency.
Booms in action
Kirkalocka Station
In July 2021, an oil tanker on its way to the mines spilt 33,000L of oil into the Kirkalocka creek.
