TERRACYCLE NEWS

ELIMINATING THE IDEA OF WASTE®

Posts with term Canopy Growth X

Pot packaging is an environmental disaster but some companies are offering innovative solutions

TerraCycle Include UK Include USA Canopy Growth
Until recently, recreational cannabis users didn't have any way of disposing of the packaging other than throwing it in the trash As the legalization of edible cannabis approaches in Canada, the industry has yet to solve one of its greatest challenges: packaging.   Since October 17, cannabis companies have been plagued with problems associated with packaging.   Apart from the fact that cannabis packages are really boring (thanks, Health Canada), they are also an environmental disaster.     One customer reported receiving two plastic containers, two cardboard boxes, a brown paper bag and a plastic casing, all for just four grams of weed.   And much of that packaging couldn’t be recycled until Tweed and TerraCycle teamed up to create a national recycling program earlier this year. But until then, recreational cannabis users didn’t really have any way of disposing of the packaging other than throwing it in the trash. And, in the very early days of legalization, there just wasn’t enough compliant packaging to satisfy Canadians’ hunger for legal weed. That led to valuable product sitting in warehouses as provincial governments capped retail licenses and cut operating hours of publically run dispensaries.   But some innovative companies are offering solutions to this packaging disaster. Among them, Noah Shopsowitz, son of the late Sam Shopsowitz of the Toronto-based Shopsy’s Delicatessen empire.   Shopsowitz is currently shopping his child-resistant, smell-proof and 100 percent recyclable containers around to angel investors under the company name Weedlocka.   “Because the federal government had an express timeline in terms of the rollout, companies went with low-hanging-fruit-type solutions,” he says.   “Nobody really gave much thought in terms of innovation, in terms of the full capability of packaging.”   Shopsowitz, who has a history of innovation, including a U.S. patent for a “human free-flight launcher”, says his products would be made out of high-density polyethylene, which is easily recyclable. That material is partly what would give his containers their smell-proof trait, he says.   While he has yet to produce an inventory, Shopsowitz says he is piloting a non-child-resistant product at shops in Toronto. Meanwhile, PharmaSystems subsidiary CannaSupplies has been in the cannabis container business for more than five years and it is already supplying Canadian producers with child-resistant, Health Canada-compliant products.   Nearly all of its containers can be made using 25 to 100 percent recycled materials, and it’s set to come out with a plant-based plastic container with child-resistant lid — made out of hemp, of course.   CannaSystems is also preparing for the edibles market and an expected enthusiasm among consumers for cannabis-infused drinks. It’s “Can’t Top”, a cap for beverage cans, promises to be child-resistant.
Read More

Five pot shops within walking distance in downtown Toronto. What sets them apart?

TerraCycle Include Canada (English) Canopy Growth
If two’s a company and three’s a crowd, what does five make? When it comes to legal cannabis stores in Toronto’s downtown, that can only mean one thing: being spoilt for choice.   From the iPad-wielding budtenders to the mandatory “you shall not pass” ID checks, these five stores are located centrally downtown and within walking distance or accessible by transit.   Disguised as a potential first-time customer, a TGO team member went on a tour and was accompanied by Sandra Castillo, an account executive for Toronto-based PR and marketing company DECK Agency, which has no affiliation with any of the stores.  

Canna Cabana

435 B Yonge St.   The store is located near Ryerson University, right beside fast-food restaurant Popeyes (munchies? What munchies) and is hop-skip-jump from the subway and streetcars travelling east and west.   The entrance of the store leads up to a room with glass display tables at the centre showcasing cannabis products like flower, oils, sprays and accessories on sale.   For someone who knows what he or she wants, the set-up is straightforward. There’s also a recycling bin in the corner where customers can drop off the overkill packaging that “will be sent to a qualified recycling services provider to be recycled into a variety of affordable, sustainable consumer products and industrial applications,” The GrowthOp notes in an article published earlier this year.   Despite the assistance, if still unsure, don’t feel compelled to make a purchase. But don’t be rude to the staff, either — the store has a sign clearly stating, “Physical or verbal abuse towards staff won’t be tolerated.” And it’s unlikely anyone would even consider messing with the intimidating security guard outside.   Sandra’s take: “Budtenders and security are always friendly. I signed up for text marketing, and they barely send me messages, which I appreciate as I don’t want to be bombarded.”

Tokyo Smoke

333 Yonge St.     From Canna Cabana, the store is just a five-minute walk away. The difference between the two lies in the aesthetics. While Canna Cabana may be a plain (but highly efficient) Jane, Tokyo Smoke is Jane’s fancy (equally smart) cousin.   The store is divided into four product sections: Go (said to ignite energy), Pause (said to promote relaxation); Ease (said to provide comfort); Rise (said to spark creativity) and Equalize (said to restore balance).   Cannabis buds are stored in round globes that act as smell jars. The budtenders can answer any question whether it’s looking up “the highest THC strain” or, the frequently overheard, “Which is the cheapest one to buy?”   There’s a Tweed recycling box that reads “doesn’t matter if you got it from us or another brand, we happily recycle it all.” The program developed in partnership with TerraCycle “takes it (packaging), cleans it and melts it down into plastic pellets that can be transformed into new products… which can be recycled again and turned into newer products,” notes the Tweed website. Sandra’s take: “The store has beautiful displays. It would be better if they had a bigger space since it can get busy, but it’s the place to find everything and anything.”  

The Hunny Pot Cannabis Co.

202 Queen St. West A first impression is often the last impression. But don’t let Hunny Pot’s bumpy launch be the only memory; the store is worthy of a second shot.   Located a 15 to 20 min. walk from Tokyo Smoke, the store is the closest pot location to the entertainment district, the annual home of the Toronto International Film Festival. Apart from cannabis, other products on sale include vaporizers, bongs, pipes, grinders, papers and other storage and cleaning supplies.   On this day, the store had a line-up that took less than five minutes to get through. Inside, there was another line-up, this time where people were divided into first-time customers and returning customers. The line for first-time customers was twice as long as the other one.   It took another five to seven minutes to get through. Climbing a flight of stairs, a budtender gave a basic lowdown on cannabis strains.   The store has three levels, making it convenient to move around, as well as a recycling box at the entrance. There are TV screens with product information (a common feature for all the stores), and a category called “Edibles.” Upon questioning, this refers to “soft gels” and “oils”, as they, too, can be ingested.   Whether something is purchased or not, no one walks out empty-handed. Store personnel hand out a black and gold sticker of a honeycomb (the store’s logo) near the exit.   Sandra’s take: “As a customer, I want fresh weed so I always take into consideration when the weed was packaged. On one occasion, after waiting in a queue on a very busy night, I asked the cashier to change my selected joint to another product with a similar cannabinoid profile, but with less time in the package. The lady was incredible, she found another product and made a note of my concern regarding the amount of time the product was on shelves.”  

Nova Cannabis

499 Queen St. West Ever been to McDonald’s? Then this store might offer a bit of déjà vu.   Nova Cannabis is an ideal pit (pot)-stop if you care about who grows the cannabis as the display provides grower details. The store has flower, pre-rolls, oils and accessories on sale.   There is an order screen in the centre of the store, similar to the ones found in a fast-food restaurant, where users can browse options and order products. A coupon provided after ordering the product can be paid for at the cash counter.   Next to the cash counter, other products are on display in a deli-like manner. There’s even an in-store ATM machine. Every Thursday, the store offers cannabis education sessions, where attendees “receive a special thank you gift.”   Sandra’s take: “The information on display is wholesome, letting a customer know who is growing the weed that they are buying.”  

Ameri

20 Cumberland St.   It’s a store without any frills.   Located near the Bloor-Yonge subway station, Ameri is sandwiched between a tobacco shop and a restaurant. Named after owner Arash Ameri, the store has dried flower, pre-rolls, capsules and accessories on sale.   “The retail space is long and narrow. The bright white walls are decorated with cannabis leaf murals and an artificial cannabis plant. On the left, as you enter, there are four tablet consoles providing information on the available products,” reports The GrowthOp in an August feature.   Sandra’s take: “Even though Ameri is located in a prime location, the store evokes clandestine vibes of pre-legalization retail.”
Read More

Five pot shops within walking distance in downtown Toronto. What sets them apart?

TerraCycle Include Canada (English) Canopy Growth
If two’s a company and three’s a crowd, what does five make? When it comes to legal cannabis stores in Toronto’s downtown, that can only mean one thing: being spoilt for choice.   From the iPad-wielding budtenders to the mandatory “you shall not pass” ID checks, these five stores are located centrally downtown and within walking distance or accessible by transit.   Disguised as a potential first-time customer, a TGO team member went on a tour and was accompanied by Sandra Castillo, an account executive for Toronto-based PR and marketing company DECK Agency, which has no affiliation with any of the stores.   Canna Cabana 435 B Yonge St.   The store is located near Ryerson University, right beside fast-food restaurant Popeyes (munchies? What munchies) and is hop-skip-jump from the subway and streetcars travelling east and west.   The entrance of the store leads up to a room with glass display tables at the centre showcasing cannabis products like flower, oils, sprays and accessories on sale.   For someone who knows what he or she wants, the set-up is straightforward. There’s also a recycling bin in the corner where customers can drop off the overkill packaging that “will be sent to a qualified recycling services provider to be recycled into a variety of affordable, sustainable consumer products and industrial applications,” The GrowthOp notes in an article published earlier this year.   Despite the assistance, if still unsure, don’t feel compelled to make a purchase. But don’t be rude to the staff, either — the store has a sign clearly stating, “Physical or verbal abuse towards staff won’t be tolerated.” And it’s unlikely anyone would even consider messing with the intimidating security guard outside.   Sandra’s take: “Budtenders and security are always friendly. I signed up for text marketing, and they barely send me messages, which I appreciate as I don’t want to be bombarded.”   Tokyo Smoke 333 Yonge St.   From Canna Cabana, the store is just a five-minute walk away. The difference between the two lies in the aesthetics. While Canna Cabana may be a plain (but highly efficient) Jane, Tokyo Smoke is Jane’s fancy (equally smart) cousin.   The store is divided into four product sections: Go (said to ignite energy), Pause (said to promote relaxation); Ease (said to provide comfort); Rise (said to spark creativity) and Equalize (said to restore balance).   Cannabis buds are stored in round globes that act as smell jars. The budtenders can answer any question whether it’s looking up “the highest THC strain” or, the frequently overheard, “Which is the cheapest one to buy?”   There’s a Tweed recycling box that reads “doesn’t matter if you got it from us or another brand, we happily recycle it all.” The program developed in partnership with TerraCycle “takes it (packaging), cleans it and melts it down into plastic pellets that can be transformed into new products… which can be recycled again and turned into newer products,” notes the Tweed website. Sandra’s take: “The store has beautiful displays. It would be better if they had a bigger space since it can get busy, but it’s the place to find everything and anything.”   The Hunny Pot Cannabis Co. 202 Queen St. West   A first impression is often the last impression. But don’t let Hunny Pot’s bumpy launch be the only memory; the store is worthy of a second shot.   Located a 15 to 20 min. walk from Tokyo Smoke, the store is the closest pot location to the entertainment district, the annual home of the Toronto International Film Festival. Apart from cannabis, other products on sale include vaporizers, bongs, pipes, grinders, papers and other storage and cleaning supplies.   On this day, the store had a line-up that took less than five minutes to get through. Inside, there was another line-up, this time where people were divided into first-time customers and returning customers. The line for first-time customers was twice as long as the other one.   It took another five to seven minutes to get through. Climbing a flight of stairs, a budtender gave a basic lowdown on cannabis strains.   The store has three levels, making it convenient to move around, as well as a recycling box at the entrance. There are TV screens with product information (a common feature for all the stores), and a category called “Edibles.” Upon questioning, this refers to “soft gels” and “oils”, as they, too, can be ingested.   Whether something is purchased or not, no one walks out empty-handed. Store personnel hand out a black and gold sticker of a honeycomb (the store’s logo) near the exit.   Sandra’s take: “As a customer, I want fresh weed so I always take into consideration when the weed was packaged. On one occasion, after waiting in a queue on a very busy night, I asked the cashier to change my selected joint to another product with a similar cannabinoid profile, but with less time in the package. The lady was incredible, she found another product and made a note of my concern regarding the amount of time the product was on shelves.”   Nova Cannabis 499 Queen St. West   Ever been to McDonald’s? Then this store might offer a bit of déjà vu.   Nova Cannabis is an ideal pit (pot)-stop if you care about who grows the cannabis as the display provides grower details. The store has flower, pre-rolls, oils and accessories on sale.   There is an order screen in the centre of the store, similar to the ones found in a fast-food restaurant, where users can browse options and order products. A coupon provided after ordering the product can be paid for at the cash counter.   Next to the cash counter, other products are on display in a deli-like manner. There’s even an in-store ATM machine. Every Thursday, the store offers cannabis education sessions, where attendees “receive a special thank you gift.”   Sandra’s take: “The information on display is wholesome, letting a customer know who is growing the weed that they are buying.”   Ameri 20 Cumberland St.   It’s a store without any frills.   Located near the Bloor-Yonge subway station, Ameri is sandwiched between a tobacco shop and a restaurant. Named after owner Arash Ameri, the store has dried flower, pre-rolls, capsules and accessories on sale.   “The retail space is long and narrow. The bright white walls are decorated with cannabis leaf murals and an artificial cannabis plant. On the left, as you enter, there are four tablet consoles providing information on the available products,” reports The GrowthOp in an August feature.   Sandra’s take: “Even though Ameri is located in a prime location, the store evokes clandestine vibes of pre-legalization retail.”
Read More

Is Canada's Cannabis Packaging Excessive?

TerraCycle Include Canada (English) Canopy Growth
Have you ever ordered a gram of legal cannabis online in Canada only to have it arrive in a huge box that holds only a small plastic container?   Are you weary of a sea of plain packaging that features a stop sign-like red hexagon that signals the inclusion of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive component of cannabis?   After more than six months of legalized cannabis in Canada, the way in which legal cannabis is packaged is definitely a far cry from the dime bag packaging of illegal cannabis.   While the government is making safety their number one priority, there has been some not-too positive feedback about cannabis packaging, saying it is excessive and expressing concerns over its environmental impact.   So is Canada’s cannabis packaging excessive? Let’s take a look.   Requirements galore   Ordering a gram of cannabis myself from the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), I was surprised when the package arrived in a large box that contained a bulky plastic jar for the small amount of cannabis that was inside.   It turns out I’m not the only one who has shown concern over the excessive packaging, with other consumers taking to Twitter and Reddit to voice their opinions.
 
Users have called the packaging “excessive” and “overkill.” One customer weighed the packaging and found it was nearly 40 times heavier than the cannabis she bought — 38 grams to one gram.   “Once you open it, it’s just such overkill,” Candace MacDonald told the Growth Op. “There’s one itty-bitty bud in it, and I could probably pack half an ounce in there.” The Cannabis Act, which legalized cannabis in Canada, included many packaging requirements that aim to create as safe a legal environment as possible.   Requirements include labels that must feature a yellow health warning and a red THC symbol, and packaging that must keep the cannabis dry, be in a plain uniform solid colour, be either opaque or translucent, and tamper-evident.   “We have arguably more regulations than more controlled substances,” Canopy Growth’s Community Engagement Specialist Courtney Langille said. “Some of this includes being waterproof, airtight, child-resistant, suitable for food-grade materials, [as well as] extensive labelling requirements that are definitely unique to the cannabis companies, [such as] font size, placement.”   These requirements do influence how producers design their packaging, according to Langille.   “Our packaging has to be larger to accommodate all that information,” she said.  

Environmental concern

  A big environmental concern with cannabis packaging is their use of plastic.   Most plastics don’t biodegrade, which causes it to accumulate and end up in places such as landfills or the ocean.   Washington state’s cannabis industry produced so much plastic waste that it clogged gutters, sewers, and landfills, the Washington Post reported the summer of 2018. Plastic seems to be top of mind for Canadians. A 2018 EcoAnalytics report found that 65 percent of respondents feel governments should work quickly to ban single-use plastics such as plastic bags, straws, and bottles, and 32 percent said plastics in the ocean were the top three environmental issues they worry about the most. While there is no regulatory requirement for cannabis producers to use plastic, according to Health Canada, many have turned to it to meet the child-proof requirement given its affordability.   According to Aphria’s Vice President of Marketing, Megan McCrae, during the legalization period last October, many Liquor Boards required non-glass packaging solutions, which lead many LPs facing tight deadlines to adopt “off-the-shelf” child-proof packaging.   Most cannabis packages are recyclable, but some municipalities have trouble accepting them due to their mix of materials and because they house cannabis, which is considered a sensitive material, Langille said.  

Edibles could make things worse

  Things might get worse before they get better with cannabis packaging.   Edibles are set to hit Canadian stores by mid-December, and with the new wave of legalization come their own regulations on packaging that do not seem to take excessiveness into account.   “From an environmental standpoint, it’s going to get much worse,” said Michael Garbuz, founder of cannabis companies Materia Ventures and High 12 Brands. “It’s going to be a hugely excessive amount of packaging [for edibles].”   The Health Canada regulations for edibles include a limit of 10 mg of THC per edible package, which is essentially a single serving size per package.   Garbuz says that with dried flowers you can at least get multiple doses in one package, but that won’t be the case with edibles, which will also have to be child-proof.   “[It will] take so many packages to satiate a group of people or even an individual with heavy consumption,” he said.   The edibles packaging regulations could also raise the price for consumers.   Doug Vidic, the founder of cannabis edibles company Dank D’Lights says that limiting each package to 10 mg, which he finds a “little low,” adds to the cost of packaging that is carried over to the customer.   “We don’t want to spend half of your product on packaging distribution versus the actual product,” he said, mentioning that if individual packaging wasn’t required, there could be economies of scale that could reduce the overall price. “If you have to package every 10 mg piece, it does add to your cost.”   In Colorado and Washington, edibles packages can contain multiple servings and have less strict dosage limits.  

Workarounds

  While the situation may seem bleak concerning excessive cannabis packaging, some companies are making efforts to make it more environmentally friendly.   Canopy Growth has partnered with a recycling company TerraCycle to help recycle cannabis packaging properly.   Langille said that Canopy Growth subsidiary Tweed has recycling bins in its stores in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland where customers can drop off their cannabis packaging, regardless of whether it is a Canopy Growth product or not.   If you don’t have access to a Tweed location, you can also send your package by mail free of charge by setting up a TerraCycle account and requesting a label.   Langille says that the packaging is ground into plastic pellets in Canadian facilities and given new life instead of ending up in landfills or incinerators. So far, over 350,000 pieces — weighing over 7,000 pounds — have been collected, according to the company.   “TerraCycle is world-renowned for recycling hard-to-recycle materials,” Langille said, mentioning the company has also partnered with Febreeze and Nespresso for their coffee pods. “[They work] with packing that falls outside of the comfort zone for a lot of municipal recycling programs.”   Langille expressed hope that as the industry evolves, new packaging formats will be introduced that are more environmentally conscious, such as ones that are lighter or biodegradable.   Health Canada has already amended its regulations to allow for “accordion or peel back-type labels” that should allow smaller packages and “reduce the amount of waste created by cannabis product packaging,” according to the agency.   Other companies are exploring more environmentally-friendly packaging for cannabis.   Sana Packaging is packaging its cannabis in… cannabis, go figure, by using hemp. Hemp is biodegradable, but also more expensive than petroleum-based plastic. Tweed uses a mixture of tin, which is recyclable, and a plastic child-proof cap for its packaging.   Cannabis services company Kushco announced in March an agreement with IEKO Corp. to produce compostable and biodegradable packaging for the cannabis and CBD industries.  

Marketing impact

  Health Canada’s cannabis packaging regulations not only make it tricky to create environmentally-friendly packaging, but also have an impact on companies’ ability to market their products.   The regulations outline that packaging cannot be appealing to young people, depict a person, character or animal, or associate with a “way of life” that includes “glamour, recreation, excitement, vitality, risk or daring.”   “The biggest challenge of packaging to date has been around the labels [guidelines],” Garbuz said. “We’re still at a stage where the brand isn’t given as much freedom as I think it should be to express to the customer what the product is and how it is differentiated.”   Currently only one “brand element” is allowed on cannabis packaging, such as a logo. If looking into a legal dispensary, you’ll often find a sea of plain white packages.   “If the package is covered with warning labels, it’s really hard for the company to quickly distill down to the end consumer the key points about the product that they need to know before consuming it,” Garbuz said. “It turns off a lot of consumers and keeps them within the black market.”   McCrae agrees that the regulations do hamper competitiveness with the black market.   “Without the ability to build brands and offer consumers a compelling reason to purchase from legitimate channels, we will always be challenged in swaying users away from illegal products,” she said.   McCrae notes the limitations are “way beyond what is required by alcohol companies.”   Garbuz says that while the industry has begun with regulations more in line with tobacco than alcohol, he thinks over time the industry will move more towards “alcohol-style marketing” as people find cannabis is even more benign than alcohol.   Garbuz says that cannabis may even go beyond alcohol in certain ways, such as distribution, given that non-psychoactive products can be made from it that make use of its cannabinoids, such as cannabidiol, or CBD.   Right now those products, such as topicals, have the same warnings and plain packaging as cannabis flower, but McCrae says this is “just plain excessive.”   “To have a bottle of face cream in a health-warning laden child-proof container is just plain excessive,” she said, mentioning these products carry “virtually no risks.”   For now, though, Garbuz says the government is taking a “go slow” approach to see the potential drawbacks of cannabis legalization.   “They don’t want to introduce the other end of the spectrum, which is full-blown marketing, before taking a look at true legalization and what actually has played out compared to hypotheses,” he said.  

The Wrap

  Since Canada is the first major world economy to legalize recreational cannabis, it is a leader in the industry and has decided to play it safe with regulations that may be much more strict than we’ll see years down the line.   While plastic containers are a quick and cheap option for companies, customer feedback could make them change their tune soon. As for marketing, time will tell as well if the labelling restrictions will change, and the uniform white cannabis packaging will be replaced with a rainbow of different brands.  
Read More

Victoria changes rules to allow cannabis packaging to be recycled at stores

TerraCycle Include Canada (English) Canopy Growth
Image: Evergreen Cannabis Society owner Mike Babins reaches into the packaging-recycling bin in his store | Rob Kruyt)   “We had an inspector in for our regular biannual inspection,” Evergreen Cannabis Society owner Mike Babins told Business in Vancouver.   “He said, ‘Technically that is considered open packaging so you can’t have it in here.’”   Babins then came up with a temporary workaround to have the recycling bin, which is co-branded with his own logo, outside his store.   He then phoned the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch and prompted its senior corporate policy analyst, James Roy, to speak with executives at the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.   “You are good to go with putting the recycling box in your store where customers can deposit their used cannabis packaging, provided there is never any inducement to purchase wholesale product from the [licensed producer] sponsoring the box,” Roy then wrote to Babins in a July email.   Babins said that when he first installed TerraCycle’s large cardboard box and plastic liner in his store, he confirmed with the company that it would accept all companies’ packaging – not just packaging from products that were made by Tweed.   Other cannabis-store owners are glad that the situation has been worked out.   geoff dear (Image Muse Cannabis president Geoff Dear stands outside his cannabis store on south Granville Street | Rob Kruyt)   Muse Cannabis Store president Geoff Dear told BIV that as soon as his store opened on south Granville Street earlier this summer, customers were asking how they could return packaging.   “They also asked why the packaging is this way,” Dear said. “We have to do a lot of customer education.” •  
Read More

Packaging buzz still a work-in-progress

TerraCycle Include Canada (English) Canopy Growth
A monthly look at some of the hits and misses in the packaging world from the viewpoint of Joe Public, Canadian Packaging magazine’s revolving columnists. From the July/August 2019 issue. When I first learned legal recreational cannabis use was to become a reality, like a true Checkout columnist, I wondered what the packaging paradigm would come to look like. Would we be forced to buy legal weed in pimped out packages covered with indulgent pot-memes? Or would dreadlock stereotypes give way to a more refined experience, like purchasing a fine wine or a well-aged cheese? After finally venturing out to purchase some legal weed, it turns out to be neither. Strict rules aimed at ensuring young people aren’t enticed into using cannabis have pretty much legislated the fun out of things from a packaging perspective. For once, package design has had nothing to do with the insatiable demand for a product that has led to shortages in availability and a bit of a backlash against the way some provincial governments have rolled legalized weed out to consumers. In the end, I’m glad it’s legal because it was the right choice for a mature society. That said, I wish the industry could have been given the creative leeway that its primary competitors—namely the wine, spirits and beer industries—enjoy to market their products. In lieu of exciting marketing options, most pot shops have had to rely on personal service and store set-up to gain that competitive edge. On my first visit to one of Toronto’s recently opened storefronts, the service and selection happened to be as bland as the pot packaging itself. In the end, I settled on a one-gram box of a strain called Harmonicproduced by AltaVie, the recreational offshoot of Markham, Ont.-based medical marijuana producer MedReleaf. The red-eyed salesperson handed it to me in a grey cardboard box, which is consistent with the government’s rule limiting packaging to a single, uniform color. A little larger than a deck of cards, the most prominent elements on the package were the “stop sign” logo that denotes it as a cannabis product, and the large black-on-yellow health warnings cautioning users about weed’s darker side. The only real packaging innovation I could detect was how AltaVie dealt with the childproofing requirement. As the handy infographic located on the top panel indicates, people need to simultaneously push in two tabs along the backside of the box in order to slide the inner plastic packaging free from the cardboard. Hopefully, this doesn’t get more difficult as users indulge. While regulations require the containers to be intentionally bland, the government did give producers some leeway on the size, shape and packaging materials that they can use. Fittingly, Smith Falls, Ont.-based producer Tweed Inc. have used this wiggle room to distinguish themselves and their products by offering dried flowers in black plastic cube containers. The 3.5-gram container I got (empty) from a friend was about the size and weight of a standard Rubic’s Cube, which uses a child guard mechanism similar to those found on prescription pill bottles. Each strain gets its own name and color association, such as the pale-pink Balmoral strain pictured here. The only real problem I initially had with the container was on the environmental level: I would loathe to see these cubes form yet another garbage island somewhere in the middle of the Pacific. To their credit, though, Tweed has joined forces with Toronto-based upcycling specialists TerraCycle Canada to create a recycling program ensuring cannabis containers get diverted from landfill sites. Once you’re done with your cube, you can take it back to a Tweed-partnered retailer and conveniently drop it in the recycling box on-site. If that’s too much trouble, you can set up an account, print up a UPS label, and send it to TerraCycle for free. From there, TerraCycle will see that the plastic is melted down and reused in some other fashion. Pot producers certainly face heavy restrictions, but those involved in the exploding paraphernalia market have obviously been getting creative. One visit to a local head shop and you’ll see a rainbow of products, from high-tech vaporizers to blown glass bongs and pipes of all shapes and sizes. What caught my eye, however, was the colorful display of rolling papers found in the display case of the Toronto Hemp Company, where I ended up purchasing two packs of the Trailer Park Boys-branded rolling papers from Jimmy Zee’s, the Port Coquitlam, B.C.-based distributor of so-called “Man Cave” items. If you’re unfamiliar with the Trailer Park Boys television show currently streaming on NetFlix, think of it as a crass modern-day cross between The Three Stooges black-and-white films from the 1930s and 1940s and the low-budget flicks put out in the late 1970s and early 1980s by the once-groundbreaking stoner comedy duo Cheech and Chong. With 32 leaves per pack, it’s a fun and gimmicky way to inject a bit of made-in-Canada humor into one’s pot experience. My wife and I look for just about any reason to celebrate—pot legalization, an important anniversary, the arrival of the weekend, etc. As many will agree, a real celebration requires a bit of bubbly to make it official, which is why a single-serve 200-ml bottle of Freixenet from Spanish bubbly producer Freixenet S.A. is a frequent fixture of our kitchen refrigerator. Styled after the standard-sized 750-ml bottle of Brut, these mini bottles are not really all that new, but for many occasions they offer just the right amount of celebratory cheer for couples who may not necessarily consume 750-ml of the sweet and highly carbonated libation or, worse still, just leave the leftovers in the fridge to go flat, or worse. With all that celebrating, it’s important to take care of ourselves and eat well, which is what lead me to discover Fresh City, billed as Canada’s largest city farm, located at Downsview Park in Toronto’s north end. With one storefront in the city, and another on the way, the company, along with its network of member farmers and its 3,000-square-foot greenhouse, relies mainly on its delivery service and pick-up hubs to provide consumers with locally produced organic options on a year-round basis. I recently tried their delicious gluten-free, vegan Falafel salad jar, which arrived on my doorstep in a reusable, insulated tote bag, along with a cooler pack, to keep everything fresh. Layered with quinoa, chickpeas, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and falafel—and topped with a delectable tahini dressing—this healthy option is perfect right out of the jar or for sharing. shared with others. Once done I just leave the delivery tote with the rinsed out jars on my doorstep for pick-up on my next delivery date.  
Read More

Greening up packaging for "green"

TerraCycle Include Canada (English) Canopy Growth

Are compostable containers a fix for the cannabis packaging conundrum?

Excessive, wasteful, overkill and harmful. These are just some of the words used to describe cannabis packaging in Canada—and for good reason.   Ever since cannabis legalization last fall, product packaging has been a consistent target of criticism given its environmentally unfriendly overuse of plastic and difficulty to recycle with other plastics.   The same federal government that recently pledged to ban single-use plastics also enforces strict cannabis packaging regulations, which licenced producers (LPs) have argued make it difficult to package their products ecologically.   Here’s a guide to cannabis packaging rules and one company’s proposed solution to help keep containers from ending up in landfills.   cid:image002.png@01D5439F.2E6FD640   In Canada, cannabis must be packaged in materials that are a solid, opaque colour and prevent contamination of cannabis. The containers must also be tamper-evident, meaning one can see if someone has opened it before it’s sold, and meet the requirements of child-resistant packaging under Canada’s Food and Drug Regulations.   Additionally, containers must bear the Standardized Cannabis Symbol (red and white THC cannabis leaf symbol), prevent contamination, keep cannabis dry and contain no more than the equivalent of 30 g of dried cannabis.   The federal packaging rules are strict and extensive; making sure that containers can be easily recycled seems not to have received the same rigour.   Mark Butler, policy director of Halifax-based Ecology Action Centre, says the centre is calling for the federal government to have the statutory power to regulate plastics and to have plastics listed as a toxin in the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.   André Gagnon, communications advisor at Health Canada, says that licensed cannabis processors are free to design their packaging and labelling as they see fit. “Health Canada welcomes licensed processors to use innovative and environmentally sound packaging approaches, provided the requirements in the regulations are satisfied. To be clear, there is no regulatory requirement under the Cannabis Act that stipulates that plastic must be used by cannabis processors,” Gagnon told The GrowthOp.   How long current packaging lasts “really depends on the type of plastic and what it is exposed to, such as air, water, light or a combination of these elements” Butler says. If deposited in a landfill, however, plastic packaging is unlikely to biodegrade.   “It doesn’t go away, it just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces and enters the food chain. And, ultimately, nobody knows the exact lifespans in the natural environment.”  

Are recycling initiatives enough?

  Emma Baron, founder of Milkweed, a brand offering contemporary cannabis accessories, points out that recyclable options for cannabis packaging are in their infancy. For example, the TerraCycle (a company offering free recycling programs funded by brands, manufacturers and retailers worldwide) and Tweed Inc. (a cannabis retailer owned by Canopy Growth Corporation) collection plan is currently unavailable in Quebec, Nova Scotia and the territories. The program was not rolled out all at once, but there are plans to expand nationwide, notes a statement from Canopy Growth.   “We’re happy to see that an effort is being made, but we’ll need to see buy-in from a critical mass of LPs (licensed producers) and provincial governments to see a recycling program grow,” Baron contends.   cid:image003.png@01D5439F.2E6FD640 https://youtu.be/A42fWZ193RI   Since not all cannabis containers are recyclable in every municipality, Baron suggests that glass is a better alternative, since it is 100 percent recyclable and preserves product longer than porous plastic.   “Currently, the only thing holding the industry back from using glass is regulations,” Baron says. Cannabis packaging must be opaque and solid in colour, and tinted or coloured glass that allows some light to travel through them.   Rebecca Brown, cannabis marketer and founder of Crowns Consulting, says that beyond recycling programs, cannabis companies should be seeking out and investing in innovative packaging—packaging that is naturally sourced, biodegradable and designed for multi-use.   “We are at a moment in time where the discussion around single-use plastic is at peak levels, so I think the environmental impact should have been a more heavily weighted consideration as the regulations were being made,” Brown says.  

Land to brand to land

  Seeing the amount of plastic being used to package small amounts of cannabis, Leamington, Ont.-based Competitive Green Technology(CGTech) teamed up with Toronto’s Hansen Packaging to create their Made in Canada, Naturally cannabis jars.   The Compostable Jars brand was launched in July, but the company hopes its containers, made of compostable biopolymers, hemp waste bio-carbon and reinforcement compostable additives, will reduce the plastic waste in the industry.   cid:image004.png@01D5439F.2E6FD640   Atul Bali, CEO of CGTech, says the company’s philosophy is predicated on using waste streams of agricultural produce—in this case, cannabis. “There’s a fair amount of waste being generated in the [cannabis] industry in terms of the non-usable (the part of the plant that is not used for cannabis consumption) “part of the plant [called hemp stalk],” Bali says. “So what we do is use that waste, extract the carbon from it and that’s why we say our jars are made out of renewable resources,” he notes.   Luz Elena Valdes, sales and marketing manager at Compostable Jars, claims that the renewably made jars comply with all packaging regulations, are much lighter than current packaging and are designed to be composted rather than recycled. Compostable, as opposed to biodegradable or recyclable, typically means that a product is capable of disintegrating into natural elements in a compost environment, leaving no toxicity in the soil, within 90 days.   “To package about three to seven g of cannabis, existent containers use 70 to 80 g of packaging made from non-renewable resources,” Valdes says. Her company’s product, uses “20 g of biocomposite resins made from renewable resources,” she reports.   cid:image005.png@01D5439F.2E6FD640   The jars are not yet available; Compostable Jars is currently sending out product samples and starting meet-and-greets with cannabis companies.   Bali says the Ontario-based Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) has certified the company’s resins, meaning they break down and become compost within 84 days. The jars themselves are currently undergoing testing for BPI certification.  

When can changes to packaging be expected?

  So how long will it take for new alternatives to be introduced and to take hold in Canada’s cannabis industry? Certainly not overnight, since less expensive, heavy, plastic pharmaceutical containers are readily available.   “It’s not a question of whether or not it’s easier to package with plastic, but it’s about the technology,” Bali says. “Because we have this unique technology, we just had to introduce something for the cannabis industry.”   Though consumers may not see compostable packaging options in pot shops just yet, Brown predicts the industry will respond to market pressure and it will do what it needs to do to win loyalty from customers.  
Read More

Greening up packaging for "green"

TerraCycle Include USA Canopy Growth
Emma Baron, founder of Milkweed, a brand offering contemporary cannabis accessories, points out that recyclable options for cannabis packaging are in their infancy. For example, the TerraCycle (a company offering free recycling programs funded by brands, manufacturers and retailers worldwide) and Tweed Inc. (a cannabis retailer owned by Canopy Growth Corporation) collection plan is currently unavailable in Quebec, Nova Scotia and the territories. The program was not rolled out all at once, but there are plans to expand nationwide, notes a statement from Canopy Growth.
Read More