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Waste Turned to Golden Opportunity

Herman orion 1

Waste Turned to Golden Opportunity

August 20, 2025
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Humans generate an unimaginable amount of waste. And usually, it all goes “down the drain”, but what if it didn’t? What if waste could be used to uplift and solve social and environmental inequality?

“I witnessed firsthand how a lack of access to dignified sanitation and proper waste management services not only stripped communities of basic social dignity but also created a broken supply chain that caused downstream damage to the environment,” says Orion Herman,
Chief Executive Officer of Liquid Gold Africa. “This inspired us to develop a circular, impact-driven model that turns waste into value, uplifts communities, and restores nature.”

What is LiquidGold Africa

LiquidGold Africa is a KwaZulu-Natal-based company that takes human and organic waste and turns it into sustainable fertilisers and animal feed. They achieve this through cutting-edge nutrient recovery and insect biotechnology.

“Our products are created through an integrated circular waste-to-value process that combines Black Soldier Fly (BSF) technology, thermal composting, and urine-to-fertiliser conversion,” he explains.

“We start by collecting organic waste, food scraps, and human waste from households, businesses, and municipal partners, ensuring proper source separation for safety and efficiency. Next is the nutrient recovery process. Black Soldier Fly Larvae convert organic food waste into high-protein feed and a nutrient-rich residue. Lastly, thermocomposting processes human waste into safe, pathogen-free compost for soil regeneration, and Urine-to-Fertiliser Technology transforms liquid waste into a potent, eco-friendly fertiliser, closing the nutrient cycle.”

Herman elaborates on what the outputs of the product creation phase are. “Dried and live larvae for animal feed and aquaculture. Premium compost and organic fertilisers for sustainable agriculture are created while offering environmental services that reduce landfill dependency and pollution.

“Through this closed-loop system, we recover valuable nutrients, improve soil health, and create sustainable products that drive both social impact and environmental regeneration.”

The Active Decision to Improve the Environment and Society

“I ventured into this space because I wanted to create social and climate good — to leave the Earth better than I found it,” Herman shares. “I often say I’m living on borrowed time from my children in terms of Earth’s resources, and I feel a responsibility to give back in some way. Building LiquidGold Africa is about legacy and impact: restoring dignity, protecting the environment, and contributing to a sustainable future.”

LiquidGold Africa has a strong social impact as it deploys infrastructure and creates green jobs directly at the source of waste generation. Whether in food industries, informal communities, or retail hubs, the company ensures complete waste stream separation and traceability from the point of collection.

“We proudly serve informal settlements, peri-urban townships, and underserved agricultural communities, where access to clean sanitation and effective waste management can be the difference between dignity and despair.”

Looking to the Future of Golden Opportunities

When asked about the future of LiquidGold Africa, Herman once again highlights the importance of making a meaningful impact. “I ventured into business not only to grow professionally but also to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives and my community. This includes sharing the knowledge and experience I’ve gained with those who need it. I have also benefited from numerous entrepreneurship empowerment initiatives, the latest one being the 2025 Nedbank Pitch & Polish, where I’m shortlisted among the Top 16. Our future right now is to scale our existing operations in KwaZulu-Natal to produce an output of 500 tonnes, create scalable models throughout South Africa, and ensure we are commercially sustainable.”

 

LiquidGold Africa aims to:

  • Expand their social reach to provide safe sanitation and organic waste management to underserved communities
  • Build the largest off-grid nutrient recovery depot in Southern Africa, processing thousands of tonnes of organic and human waste every month
  • Serve over one million people with dignified, sustainable waste solutions
  • Divert one million tonnes of organic waste from landfills, waterways, and the environment
  • Commercialise their by-products, such as the premium compost, organic fertilisers, high-protein larvae, and urine-based liquid fertiliser, to create reliable revenue streams while supporting farmers, aquaculture, and landscaping industries

 

“We want to franchise and license our circular model across Africa to scale both impact and profitability. LiquidGold Africa’s future is about turning waste into opportunity, creating lasting environmental regeneration, and building a self-sustaining enterprise that uplifts communities while leading Africa’s green economy,” he concludes.

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Florence Duval is a seasoned strategist with over 25 years of experience leading sustainability, stakeholder engagement and social impact initiatives across public and private sectors. 

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Monique is a curious, serial questioner who wants to take the mystique out of business and finance to make it practical and relevant to entrepreneurs. ‘Why?’, ‘Why not?’ and ‘How can we help, for real?' are her favourite questions.

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Allon Raiz is regarded both locally and globally as a pioneer and maverick in the business-incubation industry. He is the founder and CEO of Raizcorp which, according to The Economist, is the only genuine incubator in Africa and which currently supports over 500 businesses.

A two-times PhD dropout, Allon is the best-selling author of three entrepreneurial books. He hosted the first national radio show on entrepreneurship in South Africa in 2004; wrote and hosted the first South African prime-time entrepreneurship reality television show; and created and published an entrepreneurial cartoon strip. Allon is currently hosting his 15th season of the popular The Big Small Business Show on Business Day TV.

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Prior to this, Nonkqubela was a senior executive at Metallon Corporation, a pan-African mining and financial services company with operations in South Africa and Zimbabwe. She also served as a chief director at the Department of Trade and Industry and has strong experience in the financial services sector. 

Nonkqubela holds an MBA from the University of Cape Town, a BA Honours in Economics from Rhodes University and a BA in Psychology and Economics from Rhodes University.