The Dung Beetle Project
The Dung Beetle Project is a nonprofit initiative under Alliance Earth that converts non-recyclable plastic waste into electricity and liquid fuels via a mobile pyrolysis/gasification system, serving municipalities, waste pickers, schools, and coastal communities across Southern Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersJohannesburg, South Africa
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Dung Beetle Project does
The Dung Beetle Project is a nonprofit environmental initiative operated under the Alliance Earth foundation that converts plastic waste into electrical power and liquid fuels using pyrolysis and gasification technology. Founded in 2017-2018, the project is anchored by a core team of five founders (Jeffrey Barbee, Pierre Pretorius, Michael Jervis, David Terblanche, and Simon Davis) supported by 30+ volunteers, with primary operations in Johannesburg, South Africa and a secondary base in Durban. The core technology is a sixth-generation closed-cycle fluidized bed reactor/venturi system housed inside a trailer-mounted art sculpture shaped like an African dung beetle pushing the Earth; the unit processes hundreds of kilograms of plastic waste per day, including plastic types 2, 4, 5, and 6 that are not commercially recyclable, and outputs syngas (to power generators and flame torches), liquid fuels (diesel, kerosene, paraffin, wax), and LPG.
The project's primary customer-facing activity is an event-driven outreach program that conducts roadshows, school visits, and beach cleanups across Southern Africa, including a debut at AfrikaBurn and an ongoing partnership with Durban Solid Waste and the Umgeni River beach cleanup. It also operates pilot deployments in Vilanculos, Mozambique (with ParCo Mozambique) and has begun US expansion in Delta County, Colorado under Managing Director Steve Blair. Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: donation and crowdfunding flows (including a $4,000 AfrikaBurn grant and GoFundMe appeals) support the nonprofit outreach program, while a for-profit offshoot called ScarabTECH manufactures and sells or leases commercial plastic-to-energy machines capable of processing 100-1,000 kg of plastic per day. Basic open-source plans for the technology are published free under a Creative Commons license, with commercial entities required to license or pay royalties to ScarabTECH. The Dung Beetle Project serves municipalities, informal waste pickers and recyclers, coastal communities, and educational institutions across Southern Africa, with growing institutional partnerships including the University of KwaZulu Natal, IUCN, and Oxford University.
The Dung Beetle Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Dung Beetle Project
- Legal name
- The Dung Beetle Project
- Website
- https://dungbeetle.africa
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Dung Beetle Project is a nonprofit initiative under Alliance Earth that converts non-recyclable plastic waste into electricity and liquid fuels via a mobile pyrolysis/gasification system, serving municipalities, waste pickers, schools, and coastal communities across Southern Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Dung Beetle Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Waste-to-Energy Systems
- SIC
- Refuse Systems (4953)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Waste Pyrolysis (Plastics/tires/biomass-to-oil/char) (EUAAAKAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Plastic-to-Fuel/Oil & Feedstock Upgrading (Naphtha/Cracker Feed) (EUAIAKAL), Waste Gasification (MSW/RDF/biomass-to-syngas) (EUAAAKAE), Industrial Waste-to-Energy (Non-Hazardous Process Wastes) (EUACAIAI)
Keywords
Where The Dung Beetle Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Johannesburg
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices4 records
Markets served
The Dung Beetle Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Commercial Machine Sales: ScarabTECH, the for-profit offshoot, sells and leases plastic-to-energy machines. The first commercial machine weighs about two tonnes and can process 100-1000 Kgs of plastic daily. Machines are designed to be quickly deployed and operational, targeting municipalities, recycling centers, and industrial facilities.
- Technology Licensing: Basic open-source plans are available for free under creative commons license, while commercial companies must license the technology or pay royalty fees to ScarabTECH.
- Donations and Crowdfunding: The project accepts direct contributions to Alliance Earth and donations through GoFundMe for educational road shows and outreach programs. Started with a $4000 grant from Burning Man's AfrikaBurn event.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Dung Beetle Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Dung Beetle Project develops and deploys a mobile, trailer-mounted art sculpture housing a proprietary pyrolysis/gasification system that converts plastic waste into syngas, liquid fuels (diesel, kerosene, LPG), and electricity. Through its for-profit subsidiary ScarabTECH, it sells commercial machines processing 100–1000 kg of plastic daily; the parent nonprofit conducts educational outreach via traveling demonstrations and provides open-source plans under a Creative Commons license.
Product overview
The Dung Beetle Project offers a plastic-to-energy conversion solution centered around two main offerings: (1) The Dung Beetle Machine/Stage - a mobile art sculpture with integrated pyrolysis/gasification technology that converts plastic waste into syngas (powering generators and flame torches) and diesel fuel, designed for community outreach and environmental education; and (2) ScarabTECH - a commercial sub-brand manufacturing fixed-scale machines capable of processing 100-1000 kg of plastic daily for municipalities, recycling centers, and industrial applications. The technology uses pyrolysis (heating plastic without oxygen) to produce gas and liquid fuels from waste plastics types 2, 4, 5, and 6.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Dung Beetle Machine/Stage Trailer-mounted art sculpture (shaped like a dung beetle pushing the Earth) housing a hi-tech gasification/pyrolysis system that converts plastic waste into syngas (for powering generators and flame torches) and liquid fuels. Designed for mobile community outreach and environmental education across Southern Africa.
- ScarabTECH Commercial Plastic-to-Energy Machine Commercial-scale plastic-to-energy machine manufactured by ScarabTECH (for-profit offshoot). Weighs approximately two tonnes and processes 100–1000 kg of plastic per day. Sold or leased to municipalities, recycling centers, and industrial facilities.
- Open-Source Plastic-to-Power Plans Downloadable open-source plans for a basic plastic-to-power machine released under Creative Commons license. Free for individuals and DIY builders, with requirement to share developments back with the community. Commercial users must license the technology from ScarabTECH or pay royalty fees.
Quantifiable outcome
- Plastic waste processing capacity of hundreds of kilograms per day per unit
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Dung Beetle Project
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Dung Beetle Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature4 records
The Dung Beetle Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ParCo (Parceiros Comunitarios)coreParCo is a community-led development program in Vilankulo, Mozambique empowering women and communities to remove plastic from beaches. Partnership to establish pilot site in Vilanculos using Dung Beetle technology to create #poweredbyplastic economy.
- Oxford UniversityminorJeffrey Barbee presented the Dung Beetle Project at the Institute for Science, Innovation and Society (InSIS), Oxford University on January 28, 2019.
- Colorado Office of Economic Development & International TrademinorExploring partnership for expansion into Colorado, USA. Steve Blair serves as Managing Director for Colorado operations, lining up suppliers and sites.
- ScarabTECHcoreFor-profit offshoot company created to commercialize Dung Beetle technology. ScarabTECH moved into new premises in south of Johannesburg to manufacture and assemble commercial machines for sale and lease globally.
- Durban Green CorridorcorePartnership with Durban Green Corridor for the Umgeni River beach cleanup events and educational roadshows. The Green Hub hosted the Dung Beetle stage and facilitated community participation in plastic cleanup activities.
- Durban Solid Waste (DSW)coreCollaboration with Durban Solid Waste on the Durban educational roadshow and beach cleanup events at the Umgeni River mouth. DSW is the municipal waste management authority.
- ZigZag Surf MagazineminorPartnership for beach cleanup events and media coverage. ZigZag led beach cleanup activities and provided ongoing coverage of the Dung Beetle's fight against plastic pollution.
- International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)minorPeter Manyara, IUCN regional project coordinator for marine plastics and coastal community initiative, conducted site visit and demonstration. Exploring partnership for addressing ocean plastic pollution.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Dung Beetle Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Agilyx: US/Israel-based company using proprietary thermal conversion technology (including pyrolysis and depolymerization) to convert waste plastics into crude oil and other products. Comparable technology platform and chemical recycling pathway, with broader product portfolio.
- APK AG: Germany-based company using a solvent-based recycling process (Newcycling) to produce recycled polyamides from complex plastic waste. Adjacent technology to pyrolysis that also targets hard-to-recycle mixed plastics, serving similar downstream plastic producer customers.
Others
- Plastic Bank: Social enterprise that stops ocean plastic by exchanging collected plastic for income and benefits in coastal communities. Comparable mission focus on ocean plastic and empowerment of informal waste collectors, with different monetization (recycled-content credit sales).
- Precious Plastics: Dutch open-source community providing shredder and small-scale recycling machine designs that the Dung Beetle Project explicitly uses. Comparable open-source ethos and grassroots plastic-recycling tooling, with overlap in informal/educational plastic processing.
Direct peers
- Brightmark: US-based company operating commercial-scale plastics-to-fuel pyrolysis facilities. Comparable in taking mixed plastic waste and converting it to fuel products, with similar end-customers (waste management companies and municipalities).
- Renewlogy: US-based company operating pyrolysis plants that convert hard-to-recycle plastics into diesel and naphtha. Comparable end-to-end plastic-to-fuel process, similar focus on hard-to-recycle streams (types 2-7), and parallel target customer profile.
- Plastic Energy: UK-based commercial leader using pyrolysis to convert end-of-life plastic waste into oils for new plastic production. Directly comparable in technology pathway (plastic pyrolysis to liquid outputs) and customer focus (municipalities and waste management partners).
- Cynar: Ireland/UK-based company that developed pyrolysis technology to convert mixed plastic waste into diesel and naphtha. Closely aligned in technology architecture (pyrolysis) and fuel outputs (diesel-like products) with ScarabTECH's commercial machines.
Broad incumbents
- SUEZ: Global environmental services and waste management major with significant plastic recycling and waste-to-energy operations. Comparable in serving municipal waste management needs with multiple technology pathways, though operating at much larger scale and geographic breadth.
- Covanta: Large US-based waste-to-energy operator running numerous energy-from-waste facilities. While focused on incineration rather than pyrolysis, Covanta serves the same broad municipal and industrial waste-to-energy customer base with overlapping end-product (electricity).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Dung Beetle Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Dung Beetle Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Dung Beetle Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Dung Beetle Project subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
The Dung Beetle Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Dung Beetle Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Dung Beetle Project
What does The Dung Beetle Project do?
The Dung Beetle Project develops and deploys a mobile, trailer-mounted art sculpture housing a proprietary pyrolysis/gasification system that converts plastic waste into syngas, liquid fuels (diesel, kerosene, LPG), and electricity. Through its for-profit subsidiary ScarabTECH, it sells commercial machines processing 100–1000 kg of plastic daily; the parent nonprofit conducts educational outreach via traveling demonstrations and provides open-source plans under a Creative Commons license.
Is The Dung Beetle Project a public or private company?
The Dung Beetle Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Dung Beetle Project founded?
The Dung Beetle Project was founded in 2017. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Dung Beetle Project based?
The Dung Beetle Project is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does The Dung Beetle Project make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Commercial Machine Sales are the primary driver. The others are technology Licensing and donations and Crowdfunding.
Who are The Dung Beetle Project's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Agilyx and APK AG. Others are Plastic Bank and Precious Plastics. Direct peers are Brightmark, Renewlogy, Plastic Energy and Cynar. Broad incumbents are SUEZ and Covanta.
Does The Dung Beetle Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Dung Beetle Project.
What industry is The Dung Beetle Project in?
The Dung Beetle Project's product category is Waste-to-Energy Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAAAKAF, Waste Pyrolysis (Plastics/tires/biomass-to-oil/char), with a secondary code of EUAIAKAL, Plastic-to-Fuel/Oil & Feedstock Upgrading (Naphtha/Cracker Feed). Its SIC code is 4953.