It’s important to use plastic only when necessary. Instead, plastic cannabis packaging most often finds its way to a landfill. Single-use plastic packaging is rarely repurposed or recycled. Plastic packaging is overrunning the planet, creating what could be an irreversible impact on both the environment and on human health. Here are just a few of the ways companies like Mana Botanics are working to reduce waste, address climate change and improve cannabis sustainability. (Full disclosure: My company invests in Mana Botanics.) Mana Botanics, a Hawaiian CBD company and the world’s first plastic-negative cannabis company, is one such example making moves to infuse sustainability into its production and sales processes. While some industries continue with unsustainable practices, the relatively young cannabis industry has already begun to search for ways to improve sustainability and reduce waste. Sustainable Practices In The Cannabis Industry Unfortunately, most cannabis products are packaged in single-use plastic packaging, which, due to having been used for cannabis products, typically must be brought to a landfill rather than recycled. Packaging: Cannabis companies are required by law to follow strict packaging guidelines, including child-proofing features, special labeling and durable materials.Due to governmental concerns that cannabis waste may be rerouted to facilitate illegal production, it typically cannot be composted or disposed of cleanly, often sent directly to landfills mixed in with nonconsumable post-consumer waste. To legally dispose of cannabis plants, cannabis growers first need to make the waste unrecognizable, which requires them to create a 50-50 mix of cannabis waste to non-cannabis waste. Fibrous Waste: After harvest, cannabis plants need to be disposed of.Pesticides sprayed onto or applied to cannabis crops can seep into the earth, contaminating soil, water and other vegetation. Pesticides: Harsh chemicals and pesticides are often applied to cannabis crops to increase crop yields and protect against pests and diseases.Unfortunately, chemical fertilizers can kill micro-organisms and destroy long-term sustainability potential. Like in the agricultural food industry, chemical fertilizers are the norm because of fast-acting nutrient release. Chemical Fertilizers: Much of commercial cannabis growth uses petrochemical fertilizers.
The commercial cannabis industry bleeds waste during the production process, with significant sources of waste being: Gone are the days of buying closet-weed from your best friend, but as it turns out, purchasing cannabis from your friend with a green thumb may have been doing more favors for the planet.
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