A Business Owner’s Guide to Cannabis Waste Solutions

Did you know that US sales of cannabis increased by 67% in 2022? However, with higher demand comes higher waste. If you are a small business owner in the cannabis industry, you may wonder what you can do with your cannabis waste.

While the regulations are strict, we luckily still have several options. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about cannabis waste solutions. Ready to dive in? Keep reading!

What Is Cannabis Waste?

The Department of Cannabis Control defines cannabis waste as something that contains or has come in contact with cannabis at any given time. This can mean during the farming, production, drying, or curing process. Even the packaging that comes in contact with cannabis is considered "cannabis waste" and needs the same treatment as the leftover aspects of the plant itself.

This can include flowers that are not up to par, expired products, trimmings, and unusable parts, such as stalks.

There are two different categories of cannabis waste; hazardous and non-hazardous, each with a different method of waste disposal. Countries and states both determine cannabis waste differently.

Those who declare that cannabis waste is hazardous may require the destruction of cannabis before it is disposed of according to the regulations of the local government. The same requirements for medical disposal are, in this case, applied to cannabis as well.

However, if the regulations state that they are non-hazardous, cannabis may be mixed in with other non-hazardous organic materials such as food. In fact, regulations for many states require cannabis to be mixed with non-cannabis material in order to be disposed of. Wood chips are a good example of something mixed with cannabis for proper disposal.

The Best Waste Disposal Solutions for Cannabis

We've discussed eco-friendly options that are good for both the environment, but getting from A to B is a whole different story.

Regardless of the regulations in your country or state, it is essential that cannabis waste is unrecognizable after processing. The dangers of a minor getting their hands on cannabis is too high.

There are two solutions we can explore when dealing with cannabis waste; waste shredders and grinders.

Waste Shredders

Waste shredders are most commonly used to shred the stems of the cannabis plant. The stems are often the most difficult to process, as they are prone to get stuck and clog the machine if used incorrectly. However, shredding it before mixing it with another product is essential in order to dispose of the product.

Shredding the stem to an inch or even less can help before mixing it with other products such as wood, for example, in order to make the cannabis unusable and unrecognizable.

Waste Grinders

A favorite for disposing of cannabis is a waste grinder. This machine can slowly grind the product into smaller, shredded pieces. Grinders are ideal for difficult-to-process materials, such as fibrous and wet materials.

It is important to remember that the soil, root, and any other growing media are included in the waste disposal. Any substance that comes in contact with cannabis is considered waste once its lifecycle is up.

Need More Waste Solutions?

There are many regulations for the production and sale of cannabis. It is no surprise that these strict regulations include the disposal of cannabis products as well.

There is a lot of waste in the production of cannabis, from stem to leaf, to the empty packaging of expired products. Are you looking for a solution to your waste management? Give us a call today; our associates are experts in the field of waste solutions and are happy to assist with any of your needs, including the shredding of cannabis.