An NGO in Belgium is collecting human hair from salons to recycle it into big squares that act as sponges for water pollutants.
Project Co-founder Patrick Janssen, explaining that 1 kilogram (2.2 lbs) of hair can absorb 7-8 litres (1.8-2.1 U.S. gallons) of oil and hydrocarbons, said the mats can be placed in drains to soak up pollution in water before it reaches a river.
The project said on its website that hair has powerful properties: one strand can support up to 10 million times its own weight, and as well as absorbing fat and hydrocarbons, it is water-soluble and highly elastic due to its keratin fibres.
