Many of the companies in this space are fundamentally similar — they connect two entities together, usually buyers and sellers, in the most efficient way possible. 

So it should come as no surprise that there are currently two startups being called "the Uber for trash," and both are focusing on making waste less wasteful.

The first startup, Spoiler Alert, comes at trash from a humanitarian perspective. Spoiler Alert's goal is simple: to make it easier for companies to donate (or even sell) leftover food, Techcrunch reports. The startup primarily connects those with food surpluses, like retailers, to nonprofits that are looking for food donations. And Spoiler Alert transactions are logged to make it easy for the donors to claim tax deductions.

During the three-month beta period almost 10,000 pounds of food were donated through the iOS app.