Hair Aids in Oil Spill Disaster

We all know that hair gets oily; that's why we need shampoo. However, it wasn't until the organization, Matter of Trust, applied this concept to cleaning up oil spills that people realized just how useful those slick locks can be.  Now, with the oil spill disaster in the Gulf, the program has been ramped up dramatically.  People all over the county are sweeping up pounds of hair & sending it to the relief effort, including an organization right here in Bucks County.  They have found that just a pound of hair will absorb about a quart of oil, far more successful that traditional manufactured booms (see video demonstration).

This is a great program on so many levels.  It takes material that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill (hair, nylons, etc.) and uses it to clean up some of the horrendous spill in the Gulf, then makes sure the material is properly disposed.  More so, it does it with a minimal use of new raw materials, depending instead on reuse of existing materials.

After getting official approval from Matter of Trust, John LaSala started a program to gather hair from Doylestown salons in May and has already received an overwhelming response.  Every salon and barber shop in town is now participating in the program, 44 in total and some are even chipping in for shipping!  A local packing/shipping company is also aiding in the effort.  The town's spirit is a true inspiration to Bucks County as a whole, demonstrating how a community can work together to make a difference in a national disaster.

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