New HYRYSE Recycling Program for Cannabis Packaging is in the Shop Now!
“Can I recycle my cannabis packaging?” Thankfully, you can now!!
One of the unspoken negative aspects of cannabis legalisation is the effect that large-scale indoor grows and strict Health Canada guidelines on packaging have on the environment. There is a huge amount of emissions baked into indoor cannabis processing as a result of a number of factors, including an estimated 10,000 tons of packaging being dumped into landfills (and that was just in just the first year of legalisation!!!!)
As the cannabis industry struggles to find more sustainable packaging that is Health Canada compliant, we did some digging and discovered a Canadian, BIPOC woman-owned waste diversion and circular economy company that has implemented a collection program specifically for the recreational cannabis industry! What a dream!
We now have HYRYSE collection boxes in our shop, allowing us to be able to accept all types of cannabis packaging, as well as empty vape cartridges, from any Licensed Producer. Just make sure it is clean before you drop it off, pretty please!
So, what happens once HYRYSE receives our boxes full of empties? First, they take the time and care to ensure that as much of the packaging is actually being recycled, by hand-sorting, washing, then pelletizing plastic packaging so that the materials can be used repeatedly to make new packaging and products. Vape pens are sent for recycling at one of Canada’s largest electronics recycling facilities. When recycling isn’t possible, HYRYSE opts for landfill diversion. For instance, because empty vape cartridges cannot be recycled per Canadian law, as they contain a controlled substance, they instead send used cartridges to a specialised energy-from-waste facility, where they can be recovered for energy. Science!!!
Whatever they’re not able to recycle or divert from landfills is then reported to the Licensed Producers so that they have the information they need to make changes in their packaging, and is also communicated to us so we can make more informed decisions around what we bring in.
So the next time you’re in the shop, if you’re similar to me and have a stockpile of empty packaging squirrelled away with no use insight, please feel free to bring them in to be recycled!! We can't wait to start doing our part.