Barbershops caught in hair-waste trap

KOCHI: Barbers and beauticians in Kerala are caught in a “hair trap”, with local bodies requiring them to specify how hair waste is disposed of while obtaining or renewing licences for barbershops and beauty parlours. They are also required to pay a user fee of ₹1,200 to ₹2,400 in advance to local bodies for waste management. However, the Haritha Karma Sena does not collect hair waste, leaving most establishments dependent on scrap dealers, mainly from other States, to dispose of it.

Barbershop and beauty parlour owners pay the dealers to take away the hair. The dealers either dump it in isolated areas and water sources or dispose of it through unscientific methods.

The Barbershop Owners’ Association has submitted several representations to the government seeking a solution, but the issue remains unresolved. More than four lakh people in the State depend on the barber and beautician profession for their livelihood.

Hair not classified as waste

The Kerala State Pollution Control Board and the Haritha Kerala Mission maintain that there is no provision in the State for processing hair, as it is not classified as waste.

The Haritha Kerala Mission said it had recently invited expressions of interest from agencies for collecting hair, but no agency came forward. However, information suggests that applications from two agencies have been pending before the mission for years.

India leads hair exports

India is the world's leading exporter of hair used for wigs and other products. However, hair collected from barbershops is not suitable for such use and is therefore not sought by exporters.

Indian companies earned $17.2 million from exports of long hair in 2024-25. The major markets were Myanmar, Bangladesh and the UAE.

“Neither the government nor the local self-government institutions are lifting even a little finger for our survival.”

— C.T. Muraleedharan,

President, All India Barber Beautician Workers Association