A water-saving tool in drought-hit Chile: human hair

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SANTIAGO (Reuters) -Small mats of human hair line the base of plants, helping lock in moisture for crops in orchards around Chile that have been struggling with drought for years.

The hair, which is turned into sheets and discs of compostable mulch through mechanical weaving, reduces direct evaporation by 71% and saves up to 48% of irrigation water, according to the Matter of Trust Chile foundation, which makes the hair mats.

“Hair is very interesting. It contains nutrients, nitrogen, calcium, sulfur, and organic matter that is added to the soil, improving it and enhancing plant growth and agricultural production by at least 30%,” said Mattia Carenini, CEO of the foundation.

Farmer Maria Salazar said the hair has helped get excellent crop yield from lemon trees in Taltal, about 900 kilometers (560 miles) north of the Chilean capital in the arid Antofagasta region.

“The hair mats are a benefit to the system and water stress we’re facing,” Salazar said. “By providing shade, they maintain a lot of humidity and prevent the sun’s rays from evaporating the little water we have.”

The foundation was created in 2020 to promote conservation and regeneration through the creative use of waste. The hair is sourced from deals with 350 salons and 10 pet groomers around Chile, with about 2% of the hair used in the mats coming from pets. 

Other products from the foundation include a liquid fertilizer made from recycled hair and a hair-based absorbent for recovering oils, metals and other contaminants from water. 

(Reporting by Rodrigo Gutierrez; additional reporting by Fabián Andrés Cambero; Editing by Alexander Villegas and Rosalba O’Brien)