The Waste Problem
Every minute, the equivalent of a garbage truck of plastic enters the ocean. This is the reality we are racing to change.
Understanding the Crisis
Plastic is now found in the deepest ocean trenches and the most remote Arctic ice. Marine animals ingest or become entangled in plastic, causing injury, starvation, and death. Coral reefs — the ocean's most biodiverse ecosystems — are suffocating under plastic waste.
Microplastics have been detected in drinking water, seafood, table salt, honey, and beer. Studies estimate the average person ingests approximately 5 grams of plastic per week — equivalent to a credit card. The long-term health effects are still emerging.
Nanoplastics are now found in the air we breathe. Plastic incineration — a common disposal method in low-income countries — releases toxic dioxins, furans, and greenhouse gases, contributing to air pollution and climate change simultaneously.
Plastic production is responsible for approximately 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As plastic degrades, it releases methane and ethylene — potent greenhouse gases. The plastic crisis and the climate crisis are deeply interconnected.
South Africa is among the top 20 countries globally for mismanaged plastic waste. With limited formal waste infrastructure in many areas, plastic leaks freely into rivers, townships, and coastlines — disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities.
Less than 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled. Most plastic labelled "recyclable" ends up in landfill or the environment. Recycling is insufficient — we need materials that are safe by design, not just recyclable in theory.
South Africa's Plastic Problem
South Africa generates approximately 2.4 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. Of this, an estimated 630,000 tonnes is mismanaged and leaks into the environment — rivers, soil, and coastal waters.
The country's 2,800km coastline — a global biodiversity hotspot — is under siege. Major rivers including the Vaal, Limpopo, and Orange carry hundreds of thousands of tonnes of plastic to sea each year.
South Africa's EPR regulations are a step forward, but compliance alone is not enough. The material itself must change. That is where SoluNova comes in.
The Solution Exists
Water-soluble, biodegradable, marine-safe — SoluNova's technology eliminates the plastic problem at its source. Not recycling. Replacement.