The Dung Beetle Project Converts Waste Plastic to Useful Energy

Our Dung Beetle is a steel sculpture covering a plastic gasification system in the form of a busy Beetle pushing the Earth. This photogenic moving art piece actually changes single-use plastics into energy. Single-use plastics that before now never broke down, never bio-degraded and never went away – but our Beetle eats them for breakfast.

The real Dung Beetles in the world all take waste and turn it into something useful, doing a job that the rest of our worldwide ecosystem relies on. That is what our system does too!

The Dung Beetle makes plastic-powered environmental and science education fun, fiery and unforgettable with our interactive performance stage. It’s a moving spectacle on wheels.

The world is struggling under the weight of millions of tons plastic waste every year and in southern Africa we have an energy crisis that is seeing deforestation wipe out our old growth forest for energy. Our incredible engineering solution deals with both these problems, producing power from plastic waste that people can use instead of wood. We started this journey in disruptive technology using our gasification technology to bring to the world a system that solves two these two major issues in the world today: waste plastic and energy.

A basic open-source model registered with a creative commons license will be available once we get the design finalised. We are happy to share it with organisations, people, and groups who share our values under that license, so everyone can benefit from this important technology.

Our team will also be building systems for people who need this technology delivered through our innovative start-up ScarabTECH: which stands for Teach, Empower, Clean-up and Help communities.

This is open source fuel technology for everyone, driven from the bottom up so that small-scale operators can create a parallel energy economy that drives adoption from the lowest income bracket.

Our traveling prototype, shooting flames and driving a fun fiery and unforgettable exhibition of our technology is on the road to make make a difference. We teach by showing people how our system works and inspire everyone to turn their own single-use plastic into energy they can use today.

Using the art, the fuel and flames, the trailer is a traveling, dynamic, multimedia educational performance workshop that brings together change-makers in communities across Southern Africa. The main aim of this remarkable centerpiece for climate change and environmental education is to get communities talking to each other about environmental solutions and shows people how to solve our global single-use plastic burden.

WHAT CAN WE USE THIS BIO-FUEL FOR?

Syngas, like regular LPG you cook with, can power generators. In our roadshow, we power lights and, speakers. Functional and fun, we use the Syngas to fuel two torches that burn and shoot flame 2 meters into the air out of the beetle’s upward facing bum!
On a more serious note, liquid fuel (low-emission biodiesel) powers the truck towing the Dung Beetle.

BE A BEETLE!

We partner with welders and mechanics who build this system in their own towns; including technical colleges, musicians, DJ’s, performance artists and actors who communicate the power of the Dung Beetle and its positive impact on communities.

People who come to our traveling art stage can also learn about local initiatives to recycle, reuse and lower our impact on our planet. From how to build an Earthship to how to create a successful permaculture garden that is climate smart, our stage is a gathering place of ideas.

Want to be a Beetle?
Have an idea or a project you would like covered?
Know people who are doing community outreach already in the environmental sector?
We need you to help out, and drive regional interest and excitement in our fun and fiery communications platform!
Where do you live?
Do you need the Beetle to stop there and why?
Be a part of the change you want to see and contact us today!

join us today