r.World, PBC

Each year in the United States over 1 trillion single-use cups, food containers, packaging and other items end up in landfills, incinerators and ultimately, the environment. Available landfill space in the U.S. is limited, while only 9% of plastic is recycled annually, making single-use a significantly unsustainable option.

Born out of three decades of sustainability expertise, r.World’s circularity model disrupts single-use food service packaging and its waste by creating the infrastructure, turn-key operations, cutting-edge technology, and campaigns needed to make reusable foodware systems work at scale. A simple, accessible, and affordable reuse system that empowers the elimination of single-use waste, it is successfully operating in 7 cities from Los Angeles to DC/Baltimore, and being demanded by more than 15 other cities. 

Reuse, even with washing, uses less water, crude oil and energy; reduces CO2 emissions; and eliminates plastic waste. To date, r.World has saved over 2.76 million gallons of water, 350,000 liters of crude oil and 1 million kWh of energy; prevented 300 tons of CO2 emissions; and eliminated 150 tons of plastic waste.

Venn will provide concessionary capital to r.World to help the company build, expand, and/or renovate existing wash stations; buy equipment for those wash stations; buy reusable inventory for those wash stations; and pay the wages of the employees that work at each of those wash stations. The PRI funds will be used solely to preserve and protect the natural environment for the benefit of the public.