MJBizMag September 2020 - 96

Green Packaging
Bio-circular requirements
are the future: Using the waste
that is readily available to create
environmentally friendly products
such as plant-based plastic
bottles-versus those produced
from fossil fuels-can make the
industry bio-circular and position
companies for the years ahead.
Such a change is bound to be
part of the next green revolution,
according to Tarek Moharram,
founder of London, Ontario-based
Moharram Ventures and bioplastics
firm True Green Plastic.
" We are asking our regulators to
build in a requirement to say, 'If you,
as an industry, have a bio-circular
opportunity, you need to be taking
it or be seriously exploring it,' " he
said. " Bio-circular is going to be
the future for consumer-packaged
goods, because ultimately we're
making things with carbon. "
It also makes good financial
sense. In the cannabis industry,
biomass is 80% of what comes out
of the ground, and it isn't being
used, Moharram said.
Leaders of publicly traded cannabis
companies " have a fiduciary
duty to their shareholders, and
almost 90% of what's being grown
Verifying Green Claims
For packaging to qualify as " green, "
manufacturers must be able to certify that
their product is made with fewer than
125 microns of thickness, allowing it to easily
break down in the environment within a year
after use.
Businesses also may pursue green packaging
certifications to promote their products as
sustainable alternatives.
Tarek Moharram
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's biobased
products certification is one option
to pursue, according to Ry Russell, founder
of plant-based plastics firm Knot Plastic in
Saco, Maine. Russell has sent his Knot Plastic
bags to various international organizations
for certifications, including Austria's
TÜV Rheinland Group and the Bureau de
Normalization in Quebec, Canada.
isn't having value extracted from
it, " he said.
Consumers care: Brands
need to communicate with
customers about their values, then
demonstrate those values through
action, according to Moharram.
" Consumers are really focusing
on triple-bottom-line organizations, "
Moharram added. " People care
about the footprint of the industry.
When you are speaking to the
consumer about and demonstrating
your values, that's what builds longterm
consumer relationships and
lifetime customers. "
It's not enough just to be " eco-friendly, " said
Russell, who believes there has been too
much greenwashing in business. Instead, he's
working to create his own standard to certify
partner companies and products.
" We want a verified, trusted army that other
organizations and other governments say is
ethically approved, " Russell said.
GREEN CERTIFICATION
Brands pursuing cannabis-based products and
packaging can apply for green certification
from a variety of independent, third-party
organizations verified by the U.S. Small
Business Council and the U.S. Federal Trade
Commission. Some examples include:
Green Seal allows companies to promote
eco-friendly products that meet the nonprofit
organization's environmental standards. Green
Seal certifies everything from household
products to construction materials.
Scientific Certification Systems uses
internationally recognized standards for
certifying a variety of products from textiles,
wood and construction materials to food
and agriculture services, paper, packaging
and more.
The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit
organization that certifies cost-efficient
and energy-saving green buildings using its
Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design (LEED) system. The entity also
certifies products eligible for use in green
building with the LEED certification.
Fiber sourced from hemp is thicker
and stronger than most tree- or
petroleum-based products. Courtesy Photo
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition is not
a certification program but an organization
that provides education and events centered
on sustainable packaging. Its members
encompass the entire supply chain, from B2B
companies to consumer packaged goods.
- Laura Drotleff
96 Marijuana Business Magazine | September 2020
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MJBizMag September 2020

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