That hair waste could fertilise your food tomorrow
Co-founder of Cutoff Recycle, a company that produces organic fertiliser from human hair waste, Mr Ojung’u Laizer, speaks with fellow young innovators in Arusha ahead of the disbursement of grants for projects aimed at reducing the effects of climate change. PHOTO | JANETH MUSHI
Arusha. Innovative young entrepreneurs have started turning discarded human hair collected from salons into organic fertiliser as part of efforts to address climate change and environmental pollution.
The hair, which is often treated as waste, is now being transformed into natural fertiliser that helps farmers improve soil fertility without relying on chemical products with long-term environmental effects.
The remarks were made yesterday by the co-founder of Cutoff Recycle, Mr Ojung'u Laizer, during the disbursement of grants to youth-led companies implementing climate change mitigation projects.
Mr Laizer said the company specialises in producing fertiliser from human hair waste collected from salons.
“We collect hair waste from salons and convert it into organic fertiliser.
This helps reduce environmental waste while supporting farmers to shift towards organic farming,” he said.
He said the Sh12.5 million grant received by the company will help complete construction of its factory in Arusha and increase production capacity
. “We expect to increase production to serve both the Tanzanian market and international markets such as India, China and Japan,” he said.
Mr Laizer said the company, established in 2024, currently collects hair waste from Arusha, Dar es Salaam and Kilimanjaro regions.
Meanwhile, the founder of Nishati Eco Solutions, Ms Aneth Mutembei, said the company manufactures alternative charcoal from agricultural waste such as coconut husks and sugarcane residue to help reduce deforestation.
“Our charcoal helps reduce deforestation while also lowering energy costs for communities.
We are turning waste into a valuable product,” she said. Ms Mutembei said the funding received would help the company expand production from five tonnes to 100 tonnes per week.
Earlier, the executive director of Anza Entrepreneurs, Mr Joshua Silayo, said the organisation supports young entrepreneurs developing environmental solutions.
“We want to see young people turning environmental challenges into economic opportunities that create jobs and reduce the effects of climate change,” he said.
