Oil spill in Mauritius: After the straw floating dams, soon those with hair? - 20 minutes
Hair to clean up the water? The idea seems absurd but it could nevertheless serve to limit the spread of oil which is currently invading Mauritian waters. On July 26, the MV Wakashio , a Japanese bulk carrier carrying 4,000 tonnes of oil, ran aground on a reef in Mauritius. To limit the spread of the fuel, volunteers made floating booms.
If these sausages are for the moment made of hemp, fabrics and sugar cane straw, they could soon be made from a more surprising material: hair. Its advantage: absorbs hydrocarbons but allows water to pass through. Hairdressers on the island have since organized hair donations. And the message even takes abroad. NGOs from different countries are currently collecting it to help Mauritians.
Because what is being played out in Mauritius is a race against time. 1,000 of the 4,000 tonnes of fuel carried by the ship have already spilled at sea and the stranded boat is now threatening to break. An even more serious ecological disaster could then take place in this protected maritime area.
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- Mauritius
- Oil spill
- Pollution
- 20 minutes video
- Planet