Eco Side of Cannabis
Kayla Zadow
For Earth Day 2023, the founding organization's focus was on convincing as many people, governments, institutions, and businesses as possible to recognize our collective responsibility to the Earth. They also highlighted the meaningfulness of those actions in helping accelerate a transition into an equitable, prosperous green economy for all. “We are focused on reframing the conversation, accelerating action, and bringing everyone together to understand that this is within our reach if we work together”
If we work together.
The cannabis packaging recycling program we host in the store feels like a drop in the ocean, but it’s what’s in reach for us right now until industry-wide packaging reform takes place. We know the solution can’t be on a recycling level. It has to be on a production and regulation level. The overpackaging in this industry is unnecessary and unsustainable.
For now though, we hope you’ll join us in bringing back your packaging to be processed by the people at Ryse. Ryse Solutions is intended to provide waste diversion and recycling, alongside Producer responsibility programs. The entire process is kept in Canada, ensuring not only accountability and traceability, but also enhancing the Canadian economy. As packaging is processed through the plant, it is analyzed in order to provide feedback to various cannabis companies, helping them determine what types of packaging are best for the circular economy and what types of packaging are most able to be recycled. This helps licensed producers make better packaging decisions in the future. As a retailer, we are also provided with a yearly report, which allows us to see the share breakdown of different LPs, including how much of each LP’s packaging was actually able to be recycled or reused.
Thanks to our amazing community of customers, we have been able to send them six 45L recycling bags in less than a year of partnership. That’s so many people who made the effort, and that’s very, very cool. You all, individually, make such a difference.
Aly K. Benson writes in a 2022 article in StratCann, “nearly 70 years after plastic was invented, 8.3 billion tonnes of it have been produced. Today, Canada produces over 3 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly, and less than 10% of this waste is recycled. During the first year of recreational cannabis legalization, thousands of tonnes of plastic garbage were generated, and over 6 million kilograms of cannabis packaging accumulated in landfills.”
Any sector producing single-use plastics can be deemed a contributor to the issue we face today, the cannabis industry included.
A study conducted in 2020 at the University of McGill and sponsored by Health Canada stated that Canada produces over 3 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly. 86% ends up in landfill and 1%, or approximately 30 thousand tonnes, is leaked into the environment. The cannabis industry must take responsibility for its plastic production and look to the established sustainability experts for new ways to reduce the sector’s ecological impact. (Benson., 2022)
It’s reassuring to be able to find many companies within the cannabis industry doing their best to make sustainable choices, even with tight margins and restrictive regulations. Bringing brands into the store based on their sustainability efforts is one way we try to enact our values and give options to customers who are seeking to purchase organic or sustainable products.
Stewart Farms is a great example of a company that is very eco-conscious when it comes to their packaging, using 100% biodegradable packaging for all of their products. They go as far as ensuring that even the thin film encasing their bath bombs is 100% biodegradable!
Reef Organics, based on the East Coast, sources reclaimed plastic from the ocean for a second life. In doing so, they have re-used 21,822 pounds of plastic removed from oceans thus far. They also package all of their edibles in compostable packaging and use fully recyclable paperboard for their concentrates.
Wyld, otherwise known for their yummy edibles, choose to use fully compostable, biodegradable packaging made from renewable resources like BioPBS, wood pulp, and Bio Resins. They ensure every part of their packaging is biodegradable, right down to the adhesives, zippers, and inks used.
Weathered Islands uses 100% biodegradable materials for all product packaging, as well as growing outdoors on a micro level, in the unique climate of Texada Island, BC.
Choosing brands that have tailored their methods to their local micro-climates is another eco-friendly way to shop. Good Buds, a small-scale producer on Saltspring Island, BC grows outdoors in the beautiful micro-climate that the island provides, minimizing the need for energy-heavy indoor lighting, etc. They also grow organically in living soil and pay a living wage to their whole team (plus their weed is fabulous) and we move their products every day based on those facts - which shows that consumers do care about production method and ethics.
There are also many other companies doing commendable work progressing towards more sustainable packaging, including those that have made the switch from plastic packaging to glass, such as BLK MKT. Unfortunately, most glass packaging is still not recyclable by standard municipal programs. Carmel Cannabis packaging is made using 43.5% post-consumer recycled materials, which is a great start.
We’ve also noticed a number of companies reducing their overall packaging size over time, eliminating the excess materials that so many still come in. To name a few: Camino, who have significantly reduced their edible packaging; General Admission, who have simplified and downsized their vape packaging; and Weed Me, who are consistently good at right-sizing their packaging.
Like with anything you buy, I would recommend purchasing products based on the practices of the company. I often recommend producers that are certified organic (or following organic practices). This means, among other things, that they have eliminated any use of chemical fertilizers or artificial pesticides. Other companies are choosing to use 100% renewable energy sources to light their plants, while others are collecting rainwater to reduce their water and energy use. An initiative that companies like Coast Mountain Cannabis and Wyld have jumped on is partnering with One Tree Planted, wherein a tree is planted for each cannabis plant they grow at their facilities. I’m still not totally comfortable with the effectiveness of programs like this, but it seems like a positive first step.
In general, craft producers who grow in small batches not only ensure the proper time and human energy goes into each plant, but also reduce the environmental impact that mass production has on our earth.
Moving away from the use of unsustainable grow mediums like rockwool, which end up in the landfill as waste, companies are innovating on organic grow mediums rich with organic nutrients and microorganisms. Great examples are Coast Mountain Cannabis, where their master growers brew a microbial tea to feed their soil and Simply Bare, which sources local Douglas Fir bark, worm castings, kelp and fish meal to enrich their living soil.
Another example of cannabis innovation is seen at Jenn’s OG, where their grow uses a closed-loop energy-efficient design, with a 7-layer bio pond which allows them to harvest and recycle rainwater, as well as recapture heat and CO2 through their production line. Another producer, Joi Botanicals, has found a way to move past standard reverse-osmosis practices, using an Ozone and UV water treatment process that allows them to eliminate any unwanted residual chemical byproducts, without the waste of any water.
The stoner engineering brains are alive and well within the industry with a lot of folks putting their whole hearts and souls into finding ways to be eco-conscious every step of the way. We look forward to all of the advancement and innovation that is still to come.
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