VOCATIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS TURN HAIR CLIPPINGS INTO COMPOST

ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 16 (Bernama) -- Hair clippings that once ended up in the trash at Sekolah Menengah Pendidikan Khas (SMPK) Vokasional Indahpura are now being turned into nutrient-rich compost by students in the Malaysian Skills Certificate (SKM) hairdressing course.

Senior Assistant Administrator Sulasteri Hairodin said the ‘Eco Hair Fertilizer’ project for the school’s plants began in January last year and is part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

She said the method improves hair waste disposal, using about 30 per cent of hair clippings in the compost, with the remainder comprising food waste.

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“Previously, hair cut by SKM hairdressing students was just collected and thrown away, but with so much of it, it seemed a waste not to use it.

“With our teachers keen to experiment, we turned collected food waste, including from the canteen, into compost,” she told Bernama recently.

According to her, an estimated 50 kg of hair-based compost has been produced so far.

“We’ve also tried it on the plants, and thankfully they’re thriving, helping us cut down on buying fertiliser,” she said, adding that the compost is poured onto the soil of each pot every two weeks.

Sulasteri said the project, though not yet commercialised, has greatly boosted students’ learning and awareness of waste management, while reducing waste and equipping them with useful knowledge for the future.

She said students at the Kulai school also created plant-based bath bombs through teacher-student collaboration.

According to her, the school has won several awards, including Best Secondary School at the 2025 Iskandar Puteri Low Carbon Carnival.

--BERNAMA