Award-winning Irish Times reporter Rosita Boland traveled to India recently with her colleague, this paper's photo editor Brenda Fitzsimons, to investigate waste pickers and innovative recycling projects taking place in Bangalore.

One part of what they discovered during their time there was the shocking story of a multi-billion euro industry in the city’s slums, where human hair is a valuable commodity that fetches a high price in beauty salons in the west.

Rosita spoke to Kathy about the trip, which was financed by the Simon Cumbers Media Fund.