Mail & Guardian
Mail & Guardian
Clara Marchaud

Creator

Clara Marchaud

Hair mop: Thierry Gras, founder of the recycling association Coiffeurs Justes, stacks bags of hair from French salons to make tubes that absorb oil in harbours. (Christophe Simon/AFP)
AMOCO CADIZ TANKER

Hair to the rescue as oil spills blight coastlines

Synthetic materials are effective in mopping up oil but human hair is cheaper and is biodegradable

  • Clara Marchaud
4 min read