What Can We Do About the Cannabis Industry’s Waste Problem?
Hemp packaging could be the environmental savior the cannabis industry needs. It’s clear the cannabis industry has a packaging and waste problem – hard to recycle plastics like flower packaging and vape cartridges run rampant in the market. There are recycling programs like TerraCycle and waste services like EcoWaste who are doing their best to fight our waste problem but some would say that our environmental efforts should be proactive rather than reactive. This week Miggy and Tom were joined by James Eichner, Co-Founder and CSO of Sana Packaging, to discuss how using hemp itself could help the cannabis industry’s waste problem.
What is Sana Packaging?
- Designs and produces compliant sustainable cannabis packaging
- Uses 100% plant-based hemp plastic and other sustainable materials
- Partners with Oceanworks to create compliant cannabis packaging from 100% reclaimed ocean plastic
- Made in the USA
- Founded in 2016
- Headquarters in Denver, Colorado
Why Hemp Packaging?
- Hemp grows faster and requires less water compared to many other industrial crops
- Hemp plastic biodegradable and takes 3-6 months to completely decompose. Normal plastic takes up to 1000 years to decompose.
- Hemp plastic is non-toxic
- Hemp is five times stiffer and 2.5 times stronger than polypropylene which is used to make most common plastic types
What is Hemp Plastic?
Sana Packaging uses bio-based binders to blend 30% micronized hemp hurd and 70% PLA. PLA or polylactic acid is derived from renewable resources such as corn and sugar cane.
Compliant Cannabis Packaging
Hemp packaging, as with all cannabis packaging, needs to be compliant. Packaging and labeling regulations change from state to state but these rules are common across the board:
- Certified child-resistant
- Dosage amount on the label
- Tamper-evident safeguards
- Resealable packaging
Sana Packaging Products
Hemp packaging isn’t the only environmentally friendly option Sana offers. They also collaborate with Oceanworks to use reclaimed 100% HDPE ocean plastic. All Sana Packaging products are ASTM child-resistant certified and odor-resistant. Sana Packaging also offers customizable branding for all their products.
- Sana Ocean Tube 78 – 78mm package perfect for vape cartridges and mini-prerolls. Produced with 100% reclaimed ocean plastic and 100% HDPE which is #2 recyclable.
- Sana Ocean Tube 110 – 110cm tube suited for vape pens and king-size pre-rolls. Produced with 100% reclaimed ocean plastic and 100% HDPE which is #2 recyclable.
- Sana Hemp Tube 78 – 78mm package perfect for vape cartridges and mini-prerolls. Produced with 100% hemp plastic.
- Sana Hemp Tube 110 – 110cm tube suited for vape pens and king-size pre-rolls. Produced with 100% hemp plastic.
- Sana Hemp Container – 27.5 nesting style dram perfect for edibles, pre-rolls, and up to 3.5g of flower. Produced with 100% hemp plastic.
At Sana Packaging, we design and develop hemp plastic packaging solutions for the cannabis industry. The hemp plastic we use is 100% plant-based and chemical free and our products are ASTM child-resistant certified.
Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond simply offering ecologically conscious products. We envision a world where our bodies, natural environment, and oceans are not polluted with toxic waste. We believe packaging should be regenerative and help heal the environment throughout its lifecycle.
We’re proud to be an American-made company committed to supporting domestic agriculture and domestic manufacturing.
Check Out:
- Sana Packaging
- Tom Howard at CannabisIndustryLawyer.com
- Miggy at Cannabis Legalization News
