Dr. Kamlesh Prasad tells The Hindu Business Line that 1 kilogram of hair can produce 200 grams of melanin, 360 grams of keratin, and 300 milliliters of an ionic liquid that can be used as a fertilizer when mixed with seaweed. Melanin is used in cancer treatment, while keratin valuable for several cosmetics applications, but at lower cost its applications could be expanded.
Around 300 kilotons of human hair is discarded annually. India is among the major exporters of human hair.