The Guardian: California Startup Aims to Solve America’s Food Waste Problem

California Startup Aims to Solve America’s Food Waste Problem

Containify is working to convert food waste from restaurants into fuel in the form of biomethane

Berkhashni Nirula



According to the Environmental Protection Agency, food is the single largest material to enter landfills in the United States. Containify, a startup based in Silicon Valley, wants to collect food waste from restaurants, process it into biofuel, and return it to be used as an energy supply for small businesses.


Restaurants are responsible for 22 to 33 billion pounds of waste each year, according to the National Resource Defense Council. Using an app to connect to small restaurants, Containify will reuse our food waste and create usable biofuel. “We want to create a better way to take care of food waste by turning it into a biogas which is more sustainable and does not contribute to air pollution while also supporting small businesses and restaurants,” says a delegate (Person 6) from Berkeley Venture Capital. The company plans to focus on the production of biomethane, a carbon neutral gas which does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.


On a small scale, home owners have converted food waste into biofuel by using biogas digesters, which capture methane gas released in the decomposition of organic matter. Biofuel, particularly biomethane, can be used as a substitute for gasoline, or to produce energy for batteries In 2021, Germany was the largest producer and consumer of biomethane - yet the U.S. consumed almost 10 times as much oil in the same span of time. By making biofuel more accessible to small businesses, Containify aims to contribute to a more sustainable future.


With an investment of $850,000 for their first year, Containify plans to collect food waste from partnering restaurants in San Jose, and return biofuel for their use, free of charge. The speculative division of distribution of the Biomethane produced will be: 10% to maintain Containify Facilities, 30% donated to partnering restaurants, and 60% to be sold on the open market for profit. Those involved aim to have a company valuation of $4.25 million.


The app will simultaneously connect smaller restaurants, and promote a convenient use for their food waste. The app mimics Yelp’s user interface, which will enable users to engage in reviewing the smaller restaurants. It will also serve as streamlined communication between the restaurants and Containify.


Sources:

https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/sustainable-management-food-basics#:~:text=EPA%20estimated%20that%20in%202018,amount%20combusted%20with%20energy%20recovery. 

https://foodprint.org/issues/the-problem-of-food-waste/#easy-footnote-bottom-40-1309 

https://www.energy.gov/eere/bioenergy/biofuel-basics#:~:text=Biodiesel%20is%20nontoxic%20and%20biodegradable,%2Dignition%20(diesel)%20engines. 

https://www.ieabioenergy.com/blog/publications/iea-bioenergy-countries-report-update-2021/

https://www.process-worldwide.com/germany-remains-the-worlds-leading-biogas-energy-producer-a-391244/

https://www.worldometers.info/oil/oil-consumption-by-country/  

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