San Jose Tallow

Three weeks ago, I visited the San Jose Tallow Company located on Berryessa Road for work. Before given the project, I did not know what the company actually did. It turns out that San Jose Tallow is a rendering company that takes in grease, food scraps, bone, fat, and dead stock. Rendering was a new concept to me. Rendering is taking decease animal tissue and converting it to material that can be reused such as lard and tallow. Tallow is “the harder fat of sheep, cattle, etc., separated by melting from the fibrous and membranous matter naturally mixed with it, and used to make candles, soap, etc.” (Dictionary.com). The purpose of the visit was to find a company that did cooking oil recycling for city events that will zero waste. There were not many companies in San Jose that specialized in recycling cooking oil.

The visit was something I will never forget. As we arrived, the stench stopped us from our conversation. It should not have surprised us so much but the smell was something that could not be ignored. As we drive down the path, we see on our left two dead cows. At first it seemed disgusting but was ultimately was glad to know that it was going to be used for other purpose. After touring the facility, we met a man named Richard who is the executive Director for EASI, a company that purifies cooking oil to distribute for biodiesel.

The image above are two dead cows at San Jose Tallow that will be rendered (personal image).

It was very exciting to know that the oil that we collect from city events would not be wasted and used for a good purpose. The loop has been closed for the cooking oil. It first starts from the event, secondly makes its way to San Jose Tallow, third to EASI, fourthly to Coast Oil that created the biodiesel by creating the mixture, and lastly the consumer who buys it for their biodiesel vehicles. I believe that more citizens should utilize tallow companies. It takes the burden off about what to do with used oils and puts it to good use. I am glad that San Jose has a family owned company that does well for the environment.