From trash to treasure: Eco-activist turns Hennops River polystyrene into a paint innovation

Last week, Centurion residents encountered a river of trash after an island of polystyrene and plastic clogged the Hennops River. For eco-activist Tarryn Johnston, the sight was a reminder of a problem she has been tackling for years. Johnston, founder of the Hennops Revival NPO, has spent the past seven years cleaning the river and removing over five million kilograms of waste. Much of this waste comes from illegal dumping, sand mining, and general littering, particularly in informal settlements and underserviced areas.

A recent large accumulation of waste prompted Johnston to experiment with transforming the polystyrene waste into a paint. Initially aiming to create a pothole filler, she found that the material was better suited to painting and waterproofing. From waterproofing a roof to making colorful earrings, Johnston believes the paint could have wider applications, such as pipe lining, damp-proofing, bridges, and retaining walls.

However, more research is needed before these applications can be considered commercially, especially for use in drinking water systems.

Johnston is seeking investors and scientific partners to develop, test, and scale the concept. Her vision includes a circular economy where waste collected from the river is transformed into a resource, rather than ending up in landfills. She also proposes small, decentralized collection points upstream to reduce the amount of waste entering waterways. For Johnston, the paint is a way to make river clean-up more sustainable, complementing rather than replacing the need for ongoing clean-up efforts.