European and Russian hair is in demand because of its light color which can be easily dyed into various colors. Another ethnomedicinal study in India [59] has revealed therapies using human hair for treatments of anemia, asthma, urinary calculus, piles, rat bite poisoning, foot sprains, sexual problems, and childbirth pain. Cleaning and drying the hair soon after collection and storing it in dry and enclosed places would minimize the odor and hair dust problems. Sometimes a technology can also become so cheap or simple that even a KST-intensive use can become widely accessible. Almost all kinds of straight hair can be used for brushes. The following schedule lists the dates and locations of the Wastemobile. Later, synthetic fibers with higher tensile strength and smaller diameters became available. Two art traditions evolved in the world around human hair as the key material. However, better looks as well as workability of the natural hair helped it regain the markets by the 1980s. For example, in ethnic medicinal system, the barbers would supply good quality hair for the medicines directly to the medical practitioner who would then process it further [17]. For comparison, cattle dung contains only ~0.2-0.3% nitrogen. Hair in its natural form has been used to decorate the head and face since the first humans walked … Developing these uses would require skill development through training programs. This is true for businesses large and small, for-profit and non-profit. KST-intensive uses would need knowledge, skills, and access to technology. Moreover, these uses are diverse enough for entrepreneurs ranging from unskilled to highly technical individuals and for the wide variety of human hair waste available in different locations. In addition, there is similar amount of hair left from past years that has not decomposed and the post-consumer hair waste from wigs, stuffing, and so forth. The concerns in the human hair trade discussed above relate to the means of collection, the working conditions at the hair processing industries, waste disposal, and the products safety for the consumers. For developing human hair “waste” as a resource, various entrepreneurial considerations such as knowledge and skill requirements and potential markets are discussed. China banned the import of unprocessed human hair in 2002 due to increasing environmental problems [105]. The ragpickers mostly work with bare hands and often get injuries and develop health problems. Marketing and packaging strategies have promoted some of the human hair products in new markets. There is a great need therefore to develop utilization systems for various kinds of human hair waste found in municipal as well as industrial sources. In the eastern countries, such products primarily catered to the theatre world, but in the west they evolved significantly with the fashion industry. Waste can be categorized by municipal waste, and industrial waste 3. 1. R. M. Thompson, “Hair-based composite,” US Patent 20100178842A1, 2010. Earlier, natural shades of hair were used, but now dyed hair is also used. In urban areas or areas with high population density, it often accumulates in large amounts in the solid waste streams and chokes the drainage systems, posing a multifaceted problem. 2014, Article ID 498018, 17 pages, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/498018, 1National Institute of Science, Technology, and Development Studies, Pusa Gate, K. S. Krishnan Marg, New Delhi 110012, India. Hair from certain demographic regions is better for extracting certain amino acids. Roughly 30 percent of Snohomish County homes are on septic systems. Increasing scale of trade has reduced the prices of natural hair products making these affordable for more people. Ensuring safe and ethical collection requires multidirectional approaches. It is relatively easy to tie knots with and is noninfectious (because of its slow decomposition rate and high compatibility with the human body). Large scale implementation of these uses, however, requires several environmental, social, and economic considerations. In terms of material flow, human hair uses can be broadly classified in three categories illustrated in Figure 1. The tradition has even developed a rich school of portrait embroidery [86]. Domestic and household waste In addition, several unjust hair collection practices have also been observed involving forceful shaving of hair from poor and helpless people and from dead bodies. In many places (usually urban areas), where the fallen hair is not formally collected, it is thrown away in the household trash, dumpsters, or drains. Many religious communities have prohibited all human hair based products for food consumption because of their human origin. Human Hair “Waste” and Its Utilization: Gaps and Possibilities. Application of the solution to soil also shows improvements in the color and size of Amaranthus dubius [22] and hot pepper plants [23]. KS-intensive uses would require knowledge as well as skills but not much technological input. Waste disposal, the collection, processing, and recycling or deposition of the waste materials of human society. In addition, human hair also contains sulfur, carbon, and 20 other elements essential for plants [12]. A. Bernard, G. Pautrat, M. Darmon, and B. Shroot, “Outer root sheath cells of human hair follicle are able to regenerate a fully differentiated epidermis in vitro,”, A. Limat and T. Hunziker, “Use of epidermal equivalents generated from follicular outer root sheath cells in vitro and for autologous grafting of chronic wounds,”, B.-Y. There’s many different types of waste 2. Preventing waste of such a material requires both addressing the problems in the current usage and developing its utilization systems at locations where they are missing. A stringed musical instrument named “gitgit” is also made using human hair as strings [90]. Human hair blended with animal fibers is used for making blankets in Panipat, India. Further processing is needed according to the targeted products or applications. Barbers and Hair Stylists’ Shops. 4, 1998. These cases highlight the need for vigilance about safe processing and informed use of human hair products in food and cosmetics. To identify such hazards in the products, simple tests should be developed for contaminants and product quality that can be conveniently conducted by consumers and standard enforcement agencies. Experiments show that human hair can absorb organic pollutants such as formaldehyde [47] and phenol [48], and heavy metals such as mercury (Hg), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and silver (Ag) from aqueous solution [49, 50]. Socially, hairwork pieces were mainly associated with special affection such as between spouses and in memories of a dead person (with hairwork piece made from the deceased person’s hair). Uses such as wigs and artwork are high value markets and are economically feasible even if volume of sale is relatively low. In small scale uses, all the processing is done by the users only. This section describes uses for different kinds of human hair according to the field of application. High volumes of hair and ash, not normally found in human waste, can interfere with septic system functions and clog drain fields. The human hair microelectrode is flexible and its signal strength can be tailored by changing the hair length. The author declares that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper. This property is very useful in oil-water separation. Radioactive waste is defined as any material (solid, liquid, or gas) which emits radiation spontaneously, and which is no longer of use and intended for disposal or treatment for the purposes of disposal. On the other hand, uses such as fertilizer, pest repellant, stuffing of mattresses, and construction reinforcement have low value markets but can be economically feasible because of their high volume of usage. One of the strongest natural materials, which hairdressers throw away daily. In the atmosphere, hair decomposes very slowly, but moisture and keratinolytic fungi present in soil, animal manure, and sewage sludge can degrade hair within a few months [13]. This awareness while reducing the stigma attached to human hair as a waste will also encourage local uses and innovations in the products and technologies, as well as in the institutions of hair trade. The oldest known wigs are from 1400 B.C. For example, in areas with malnutrition or in areas where hair treatments such as permanent waving, dyeing, and chemical shampoos are common, hair is more damaged. (ABC Canberra: Hannah Walmsley) "We usually generate between 10 and 20 bags of waste from the salon each week," he said. Most of these processes have developed around the wig and hair extension industry but are common for other uses as well. How it works. (vii)Research on utilization and decay of contaminated hair and Type 3 products must be promoted. P. Subbiah, “Human hair as fertilizer,” Communicator: Sathavu, M. Nam Vazhi Velanmai (Tamil Version of Honeybee), 1998. For example, many workers find masks inconvenient and do not use them [5]. Yoo, Y.-H. Shin, H.-H. Yoon, Y.-K. Seo, and J.-K. Park, “Hair follicular cell/organ culture in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine,”, J. Xu, C. Hu, Y. Ji, and S. Hu, “Ultrathin gold film deposited on human hair: derivation from nanoparticles and applications as microsensors,”, C. C. Trowbridge, “The use of the hair hygrometer,”, N. T. T. Ha, D. K. An, P. V. Phong, P. T. M. Hoa, and L. H. Mai, “Study and performance of humidity sensor based on the mechanical-optoelectronic principle for the measurement and control of humidity in storehouses,”. Human hair proteins typically contain 20 essential amino acids, which can be extracted by complete hydrolysis of hair [7]. Every material use and technology, however, also has several sociocultural and economic aspects associated with it, which often determine the adaptability of the use or the technology. Accepted waste. For example, while many surgical sutures are available in the markets, sterilized human hair is a safe, locally available, and low cost option for many poor areas as well as for disaster times when large amount of medical supplies are needed at short notice. In many of these villages and urban slums, this hair is also sold to travelling traders in exchange of toys, hair accessories, and so forth [97, 98]. In addition, standard protocols can be developed for safe hair processing for each use or product. Medicaments of physical and physiological origins,”, R. D. Forrest, “Early history of wound treatment,”, G. C. Sood, D. K. Sen, and L. D. Sota, “Human hair sutures in ophthalmic surgery,”, I. Sri-Skanda-Rajah-Siva, “Autotrichograft sutures in cataract surgery,”. The oily hair can then be used to grow oyster mushrooms [46], which decompose the oil. L. Shiming, “The utilization of human excreta in Chinese agriculture and the challenge faced,” EcoSanRes, 2002. Currently used carbon fiber microelectrodes have good electrical conductivity, chemical stability, and low cost but are brittle and have weak signal strength and limited biocompatibility. Existing trade in human hair, which has evolved around some of these uses over centuries, provides several important lessons. On the other hand, the fertilizer use decomposes the hair and returns its elements back to the cycles of nature. Type 3 uses need research and development of methods that can be adopted widely to ensure either safe decomposition or recycling of hair and other constituent materials. This research aims, to evaluate the effect of human hair (waste material) as fiber on plain concrete with various percentage of human hair fiber i-e 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75% and 1.0% by weight of cement. Due to its unique properties and ubiquitous availability, human hair can contribute significantly in many critical areas of public importance such as agriculture, medicine, construction materials, and pollution control. Transparency in the supply chains is also helpful in addressing many of the concerns; that is, the consumer should be able to know how the hair has been sourced and processed. Copyright © 2014 Ankush Gupta. endstream endobj 110 0 obj <. 6, no. T. Schumer, “Observations on the hair rope mecate,” High Minded Horseman, 2011. Similarly, the idea of using human hair in agriculture was repulsive to many farmers in the USA. With focus on developing systematic utilization of human hair waste, this paper first reviews the possible uses of human hair gathered from large scale trades, local/traditional knowledge, upcoming innovations, and scientific research; along with the socioeconomic systems that have evolved around the known uses. The hair is then sorted according to length, color, and quality. Hair is the byproduct from tanneries during the haircut process . Therefore, this application is not likely to utilize much of the hair waste. Human hair by itself is not a good conductor of electricity, but Xu et al. The efficient and environmentally safe utilization of human hair requires identification of appropriate uses and technologies that can be adapted according to the kind of hair waste and the local circumstances of a place. Journal of Waste Management / 2014 / Article / Tab 1. Review Article. Preventing waste of such a material requires both addressing the problems in the current usage and developing its utilization systems at locations where they are missing. D. P. Michael, S. Harish, A. Bensely, and D. M. Lal, “Insulation characteristics of sisal, human hair, coir, banana fiber composites at cryogenic temperatures,”, Z. V. P. Murthy, G. Kaushik, and R. Suratwala, “Treatment of oily water with human hair as a medium: a preliminary study,”. In addition, these communities use formulations made from powdered hair, hair ash, and hair decoction for the treatment of mouth ulcers, ringworm, and blisters due to burns. Among these systems, trash scavenging particularly is of concern because it involves several hazards. From mattresses to food waste, read our A to Z list of what to do with just about everything when it comes to disposal. Largely centered on wigs, hair extensions, and so forth, this trade also has been a source of many of the above mentioned environmental and health problems. Human hair is considered a waste material in most parts of the world and its accumulation in waste streams causes many environmental problems; however, it has many known uses. Often the clipped hair and nails are stowed away in any secret place, not necessarily in a temple or cemetery or at a tree, as in the cases already mentioned. In addition, hair that is chemically not altered by any styling treatment is better, because some of these treatments can change the chemical structure of the hair. D. McDougall, “Trade in hair forces India’s children to pay the price,” The Observer, 2006, A. Myers, “Portable material culture and death factory Auschwitz,”. A mixture of amino acids and polypeptides obtained by the hydrolysis of keratin protein from human hair, known as hydrolyzed human hair keratin protein (HHKP), is used in hair care products by many companies [55, 56]. In addition to waste hair, other processing waste has also caused problems in some cases. The coming of (cheaper) synthetic fibers in the 1970s reduced the demand for these human hair products [106]. For some of these applications (Type 2), buy-back systems for collecting and recycling the hair are needed. Therefore, use of biodegradable or reusable packaging at minimal necessary level must be promoted for human hair products. In spite of public reports, these acts have not been regulated. It also included the craft of hair embroidery. A. Jubran, S. M. Habali, M. A. S. Hamdan, and A. I. O. Zaid, “Some mechanical and thermal properties of clay bricks for the Jordan valley region,”, R. R. Pillai and A. Ramanathan, “An innovative technique of improving the soil using human hair fibers,” in, M. M. Al-Darbi, N. O. Saeed, L. O. Ajijolaiya, and M. R. Islam, “A novel oil well cementing technology using natural fibers,”, J. N. Akhtar and S. Ahmad, “The effect of randomly oriented hair fiber on mechanical properties of fly-ash based hollow block for low height masonry structures,”. As mentioned in Section 1, large scale expansion of human hair industry has also been a source of environmental and health problems. Concerns and gaps in these systems are identified and possible directions to address these gaps are discussed. Studies have now established the potential of human hair sutures in cataract and conjunctival wound repair surgeries [61, 62], general surgeries on humans and animals [63], and in microsurgery [64]. PLANT WASTE Plant waste that is to be handled as biohazardous waste includes the following: • Plants that are genetically engineered by recombinant or synthetic nucleic acid molecule Put human hair (including dyed hair) and pet hair in a certified compostable bag or paper bag. None of these is a standardized system and exact collection mechanisms vary from one location to another, but two key features distinguish these systems: the intentions of the hair donors in parting with their hair and the actors involved in the collection. For other (Type 3) uses in which the hair gets contaminated or blended with toxic or non-biodegradable materials, further research is needed to ensure safe recycling or decay of hair and the blended materials to return them back to nature. T. F. Negrete, “Human hair market growing fast,” Herald Tribune, 2008, C. S. Gupta, “Clay-traditional material for making handicrafts,”, N. M. Heymans, “Archaeology, experimental archaeology and ethnoarchaeology on bread ovens in Syria,”. High value products should be promoted to economically support the low value products and thus the overall hair utilization cycle. Long, undamaged hair of medium thickness (not too coarse or too thin) is best for suturing. Most important feature of this system is that the hair is given for specific use without any money exchange involved. Hair Harvesting. With the approximate composition of ~16.5% nitrogen and assuming 50% of this amount recoverable by direct application in the soil (to account for nitrogen loss as gaseous oxides during decay), ~120 million kg of hair shed annually in India (vide supra) is equivalent to 9.6 million kg of nitrogen and ~20 million kg of urea. Reducing total human hair waste requires different approaches for each of the three categories. Average over entire population is likely to be slightly lower because of less hair in babies and old people but will be within 50% of this number.) (v)Buy-back systems need to be developed for Type 2 uses, particularly with high volume markets. Developing appropriate utilization for human hair waste in a context therefore requires considering all possible uses and technologies along with their socioeconomic and environmental impacts.