Committee Blog: Three Things Your Company Can Do For Sustainability (And Why You Should Care)

Contributors to this article include current and former members of NCIA’s Sustainability Council: lead author Laura Wilkinson Sinton, Shawn Cooney, David Schwartz, Fred Whittlesey, Gabe Cross, Emily Long, and NCIA’s DEI Manager, Mike Lomuto.

“Everyone talks about changing the world. Nobody talks about changing themselves.” – Leo Tolstoy

Sustainability can be a confusing term for cannabis companies. The reality is, in a still- federally-illicit market, individual businesses taking active steps towards reducing their own environmental impact (no matter how small) is the catalyst for systemic change across the broader industry. Does sustainable mean to recycle? Does it mean regenerative farming? Compostable packaging?

It means some – or all – of those things, depending on your industry vertical. It means a collection of all of the seemingly little steps toward a larger collective impact.

Sustainability is the ability to exist and develop in the current generation without depleting our natural resources for future generations.

Here are our top 3 reasons why you should pay attention and take action.

Your future depends on it.

As the cannabis industry seeks legitimacy with both private and institutional investors, institutional and private investors have made it clear that a robust sustainability plan is mandatory. The Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) will be instituting reporting standards for publicly traded companies, and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) reporting will be required. If you are or will be looking for capital and investors in the near future, you need to start reporting metrics today. If you have to play catch up, it may play out like musical chairs – leaving you with a “nosebleed” seat at the money table, if at all. Another point to consider – the number of women in cannabis has been rapidly declining, so pay attention to your hiring practices and be aggressive on inclusion. Women sit on investor boards and will be looking closely at your leadership gender balance metric when you court them. It’s both environmental AND social statistics they’ll be looking for and inclusion gives you a competitive advantage. The inclusion of minorities and those affected by the “War on Drugs” should be on your roster as well.

Your customers are demanding it.

According to a recent Calivate survey, 79% of cannabis retail customers (the revenue drivers) indicate through their purchases that environmentally conscious brands get their preference. Companies like Wyld, with their forward-looking ESG reporting and social justice activism, demonstrate the power of their market positioning. It has become a major competitive advantage for Wyld. You can make it yours, too. The ICR-Spectacle 2021 showed customers prefer to buy their weed from women (46%) and from people of color and veteran-owned businesses (44%). Sustainability and ESG reporting of these types of metrics go hand in hand. It will bring different perspectives (and customer acquisition viewpoints) to your strategy. It’s not just about the cheapest price point or highest THC anymore. And all indicators show that ESG reporting will play an even more crucial role in the future, with both investor and customer loyalty,

It’s actually easier than you think.

Depending on your vertical, you can easily start measuring and setting benchmarks today. Most of these metrics you already measure, but not for sustainability reporting. Efforts to improve them will impress investors with both prudent money-saving strategies and social indicators. Here are a few easy ones to start quarterly or monthly, depending on your company.

Water. Indoor and outdoor grows and most manufacturers already measure water usage. Establish a benchmark of where you currently are and measure quarterly for seasonal changes. Then you can develop strategies to reduce usage, including, as simply as installing low flush toilets and watering less volume but more frequently throughout the day to reduce wasted runoff

Electricity/Power. Everyone, regardless of vertical, pays a power bill. Establishing a quarterly benchmark and implementing reduction strategies (including time of day use and working with local utilities) will save both money and power usage e.g. lower wattage LEDs. Avoid bandaid approaches to environmental controls such as installing more and more systems providing a single function, like additional large dehumidification units. You don’t want to be using diesel generators for your indoor cultivation facility in a major Port of a major California city on the water adjacent to a low-income population area like these guys. It will get you in trouble with every authority, and likely cost you your license (and any downstream customers). The news cycles will hammer you and your brand’s reputation in the worst possible way. Be mindful of the perils of making a quick buck with cheap, polluting energy. It comes at a cost. It’s unsustainable.

Waste. All verticals can measure their waste output. Organic waste with cultivation can be included in the metrics of landfill-waste diversion (and there’s a simple way to calculate this measurement in “cars taken off the road.” Plastic waste – which so many manufacturers must use for child-proof packaging – is a fertile arena for reduction. Several cannabis packaging companies like Sana Packaging use oceanic plastic lids on glass bottles, which are recyclable. Wyld is now using compostable child-proof packaging which is a revolution in our industry. Manufacturers have different takes on waste depending on process type.

The most important thing is to just get started. Even if you think you don’t need it today, you will tomorrow. And make sure your CEO is onboard 100%. If you don’t have the backing of your CEO and investors, you will have an uphill battle that will make your sustainability goals nearly impossible. Make sure you bring them the data and the reasons why your company will benefit financially from these actions and get them to engage in this process. This may mean hiring an environmental sustainability professional or consulting firm to help collect the data to bring to the executives showing the clear financial benefits. If you are a smaller company, try it yourself.

If you feel overwhelmed, try this free sustainability website to input sample data and see instant graphs. It’ll start you on the path, and prepare you for the future of cannabis.

But only if you plan to be around for it.

Member Blog: Condensate Recapture for Cannabis Cultivation Facilities – Making Informed Decisions to Save Resources and Improve Efficiency

By Taylor Robinson – R&D Manager and Chief Chemist, Silver Bullet Water Treatment & Kyle Lisabeth – Director of Horticulture Business Development, Silver Bullet Water Treatment

Condensate capture for reuse is an intriguing new application within the controlled environment horticulture space. Addressing both environmental impacts and regulatory requirements, capturing and reusing condensate has many attractive benefits. However, several key questions have appeared surrounding the topic of condensate water capture and reuse applications that have slowed its adaptation in many facilities. In this article, we discuss common questions and concerns associated with condensate reuse and how each may be addressed with adequate, customized treatment processes.

Condensate water is generated by a number of processes within a controlled environment agriculture facility. Most commonly, dehumidification and HVAC systems are the primary sources of condensate water. The source of water and collection system plays a significant role in condensate water quality and associated concerns when considering reuse.

Why is collecting and reusing condensate water a good option?

Recycling available water streams reduces the amount of fresh water required and offsets associated costs.
Recycling minimizes discharges and waste. Coming regulations will require extensive discharge limits.
With adequate monitoring and treatment, risks may be greatly reduced, maximizing benefit.

Contamination – Don’t Let One Bad Apple Ruin the Bunch

In general, condensate water is low in Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)/Conductivity and is generally very clean. pH is typically low as carbon dioxide readily absorbs into solution (pH 5.5-6.5 range). Contaminates are easily introduced based on what the water contacts during collection and distribution. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and other organics can be absorbed and provide “food” for microbial proliferation – especially if the condensate is pooled and stored for extended periods. Metals leaching from dehumidification equipment and/or from dust/air pollutants also may accumulate. Identifying and managing emerging contaminates is crucial to successfully mitigate risk and maximize value when reusing condensate water.

Microbes and Organics

By themselves, most organics potentially found in condensate water pose little threat. However, organic (carbon-based) pesticides, foliar sprays, etc. have the potential to accumulate in exposed condensate water and could lead to downstream issues. Organics also provide a potential carbon source for various microbial populations to proliferate. This can create biosecurity challenges, plant disease and challenge existing water treatment processes. Microbes are ubiquitous in nature and although pathogens are presumed to make up less than 1% of the known microbial kingdom, contamination remains a threat. Airborne bacteria, viruses and fungal spores can be introduced to a condensate water system through its condenser plates. Microbial proliferation and the formation of biofilms on wetted surfaces downstream of dehumidification equipment can result in elevated levels of total and pathogenic microbes.

Heavy Metals

Heavy metals including lead, zinc, aluminum, and copper may be a concern if leaching from dehumidification equipment occurs. Soldered joints in copper tubing, for example, may introduce lead to condensate water. In that case, mechanical joints/brazed joints would be preferred. Aluminum, copper, and zinc may be stripped directly from metal surfaces as part of generalized corrosion. Even at relatively low levels, some metals, dissolved contaminates and other corrosion byproducts can bioaccumulate in plants resulting in compounded issues, including phytotoxic effects.

Water Treatment & Management

In many situations, the use of recaptured condensate water is a viable option to supplement make-up water demand and reduce waste discharge. Treatment prior to reuse is recommended to condition the condensate water to ensure water system stability over time and to prevent potential treatment and operational challenges that could otherwise arise.

Available treatment processes include Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) gas and UV for disinfection, adsorptive media for dissolved organics and various other filtration processes for metals and other contaminate removal. The extent and type of treatment varies based on specific water challenges and end goals.

Baseline and routine subsequent water testing and monitoring is key to maintain a proactive approach to water management. Integrating smart water management programs limits waste, improves logistics, saves money, protects the environment and allows for current and emerging regulatory compliance. Equally important is choosing the right technical partner to help develop and implement your smart water management program.

Taylor Robinson is the Research & Development Manager and Chief Chemist for Silver Bullet Water Treatment with expertise in molecular and cell biology, general water chemistry, microbiology, and industrial (oil and gas) water treatment and reuse processes/chemistries. For the past 4 years, Taylor has led, conceptualized, organized, and completed numerous Silver Bullet research and development projects related to water treatment for the livestock, cooling water, horticulture, aquaculture and data center industries. Taylor joined Silver Bullet in 2016 and has been a key contributor to the advancements in the company’s technology and research base.

With over 15 years’ experience, Kyle Lisabeth has been focused on improving water management programs across multiple industries, with a central focus of treating water for reuse applications. Kyle attended the University of Texas – Austin, and upon graduation with a BS in Biology and Environmental Sciences, gained years of international water management experience in both North and South America. Since establishing Silver Bullet’s Horticulture Division, Kyle has exponentially grown the business unit’s install base and cultivated a nationally known water treatment brand for many controlled environment agriculture applications, including cannabis.