Pantyhose Donations Hope to Get Leg Up on Oil Spill

At the same time as efforts to place a containment box over the source of the Gulf of Mexico oil leak move forward, oil from the Deepwater Horizon disaster is sadly now reaching the Louisiana shoreline, leaving the timing and severity of additional shoreline contamination an open question.

The critical importance of protecting sensitive coastal environments from harm is on the minds of many, and we are seeing efforts to pool talent and resources to respond the the catastrophe in ways that are equally compassionate as they are creative.

Cue the entry of human hair. And pet hair too, for that matter. But first, make way for pantyhose.

As reported by GreenBiz.com, the Hanesbrands Inc. is stepping up with the donation of 50,000 pairs of pantyhose, with 37,500 pairs slated to go to San Francisco-based Matter of Trust and 12,500 pairs going to Florida-based Sunshine and Shores Foundation. These two nonprofits are spearheading similar initiatives to use the pantyhose as the casing for the construction of absorptive booms to collect oil from the surface of the water.

In addition to their quest for pantyhose, Matter of Trust is on a mission to gather hair and fur trimmings as well. As we told you on Tonic, hair is effective at collecting oil, with a pound of hair able to soak up a quart of oil. Clearly, with the scope of this spill, a lot of hair will be needed to make an impact, and with the active call out for all hair on deck, Matter of Trust aims to make it easy for pet groomers and stylists to donate cuttings for making containment booms.

In a Hanesbrands press release, Sunshine and Shores Foundation co-founder and vice president Jeff Golden explains the surprising efficacy and reusability of a hair-based technique for cleaning oil from the water's surface:

"We take average length pantyhose and stuff them as tight as we can with hair. We tie the hose together end to end and cover them with mesh. The texture and structure of hair traps the oil. You put the booms in the water to absorb the oil and then squeegee the oil out of them in an oil barge to recycle the oil. The booms can be used a hundred times over. This is a proven and efficient way to protect our communities."

Photo by Tranquil Garden via Wikimedia Commons.