In an article from MJBiz Daily, Canadian cannabis producer Tilray Brands has committed itself to minimizing the amount of single-use plastics that end up in landfills, which is a prevalent issue in Canada’s marijuana industry and other markets. To meet its goal, Tilray has started to convert some of its packaging and product components, such as pre-rolls and vape components, to hemp.
The growing concern of the marijuana industry’s environmental impact rose to the attention of the Canadian government and led to a preliminary report by a government-appointed panel during the first phase of their review of the 2018 Cannabis Act.
Canada’s cannabis market has also been experiencing an overproduction of cannabis products with nearly 10 million in excess in the cannabis extract products category alone.
Tilray’s move is believed to be the first major commitment by a large Canadian cannabis producer to meaningfully minimize the use of plastics, according to the article. The company estimates its new hemp-packaging program will divert at least 288,805 pounds of plastic from landfills each year.
According to Health Canada regulators, cannabis packaging must be child-resistant and tamper-evident, and the immediate container must be either opaque or translucent. However, licensed cannabis processors may design their packaging and labelling as they see fit, so long as these requirements and regulations are satisfied, which includes recyclable and other sustainable packaging options.
Tilray has started its transition with its Good Supply brand and is set to expand later this year to its brands Riff and Broken Coast. According to Tilray’s research consumers will be 50% more likely to purchase a cannabis product that comes in sustainable packaging over one that doesn’t.
The Good Supply hemp initiative includes products such as:
- Pre-rolls and Pax Pods cartridges: For pre-rolls and 1-gram Pax Pods cartridges, Good Supply will be adopting eco-friendly “hemp tubes.”
- 510 vape cartridges: Good Supply-branded cartridges will soon come with hemp-composite mouthpieces.
- Tilray is also moving away from plastic bags for its whole-flower products, using bags made from recycled content.
That shift alone is expected to divert 38,000 kg (83,775.66 lb) of plastic waste from landfills annually, according to the Tilray company.
