Research using Empathy

UN Goal and Target :

United Nations SDG 12- Responsible Consumption and Production

Aspect of the goal and target you are researching:

Target 12.5 – “substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse”

What / Who / How is this problem already being solved? Research three existing solutions – eg three alternative apps, three alternative government programs, three
alternative products.
Solutions that already exists: name of company or The Waste Lab The State University of New Jersey Tryon Environment ( https://www.tryon-
provider (https://www.thewastelab.com/) Rutgers environnement.com/le-service)

What are they providing?- be specific
Who are their target audience? – eg. age group /
culture / government / school / community group
Are they free / what do they charge for this service or
product?- what would it cost to access this solution?
The waste lab provides an Rutgers University donates all
interactive app and starter compost food scraps and napkins to be
kit, allowing restaurants to separate repurposed as feed for
food waste and then have their livestock at a local farm by
compostable material taken off-site processing it through a ‘pulper’
and repurposed (The Waste Lab, which pulverizes food scraps
n.d.) and removes excess water to
reduce the volume – the local
farm then collects this food
waste for his farm (US EPA,
2015)
Homes and businesses that have no Their target audience is dining
capability to compost on-site halls on university campus and
local farmers.
This is a paid service – pricing varies There is an initial cost of
dependent on consumer needs. $45,000 for the pulper with an
additional $500 a year in
maintenance, however this is
made back through the money
saved on transporting food
waste to a landfill (US EPA,
Tryon is a French business that
collects bio-waste such as leftover
food to process through a
‘Modul’o’ converter, functioning
similar to a cows digestion system
in order to produce biogas that
can further be used for heat,
electricity or natural green gas,
while using the remnants of this
process to create soil fertilizer
(Tyron Environment, n.d.).
Their target audience is
restaurant/café owners and
supermarkets
This is a paid service – pricing
varies dependent on consumer
needs.

Adapted from 10 STEAM Innovations Class Empathy Research Bec Mckinney Shenton College

What gaps do you see in their service or product? –
who misses out with this service?
Other insights
Adapted from 10 STEAM Innovations Class Empathy Research Bec Mckinney Shenton College
2015).
Not available worldwide.  The restaurant needs to This product is not available
have space to keep this worldwide
waste refrigerated until
it is collected, and this
only works when the
restaurant is able to
find a local farmer or
zoo willing to work with
them.
 This solution is not yet
used worldwide
Through use of this Tyron notes more than 10 million
partnership, Rutgers University tonnes of biowaste are produced
saved over $100,000 in yearly in France, representing
transport costs on food waste more than a third of the total
in 2007 (US EPA, 2015). garbage produced each year. Of
this, more than 80% of bio-waste
is destroyed instead of recycled,
Tyron offers a practical solution
for this (Tyron Environment, n.d.).