Where Trash Talk, Ocean Plastic, and Cannabis Meet

Plastic waste, a hot issue in the cannabis industry, will be in the spotlight at this year’s MJBizCon. That’s where packaging design and supply chain services provider AE Global will work with conference organizers to manage all event waste and will also promote the Talk Trash sustainability initiative.

The 13^th annual MJBizCon, purportedly the world’s largest cannabis business event, will be held December 3-6 in Las Vegas.

Run by AE Global, Ocean Recovery Group, and rePurpose Global, Talk Trash focuses on diverting ocean-bound plastic from waterways. The partners collect waste plastic from the environment, convert the plastic into pellets, and introduce the pellets into the supply chain for re-manufacturing.

Plastics processed through Talk Trash include PET, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and polypropylene (PP).

All the trash, recycling, and compost receptacles at MJBizCon will be printed with Talk Trash branding and educational messages, including information about the initiative’s global impact. The goal is to engage with cannabis-industry decision makers as they’re thinking about waste and spark discussions about packaging sustainability.

AE GLOBAL

The event planners hope the use of environmental messages and practices at MJBizCon will inspire attendees and exhibitors to reduce plastic waste in their own businesses.

Related:This Water Bottle Diverts Ocean-Bound Plastic

Cannabis brand owners can meet with AE Global at the conference for a “trash-talking” session on sustainable packaging, including certified plastic-neutral or -negative packaging.

Plastic-neutral certification by rePurpose Global means the brand owner removes from the environment the same amount of plastic as it uses. The plastic-negative certification, also by rePurpose, indicates the removal of more plastic than the brand uses.

Early Talk Trash cannabis brand partners include City Trees, Coast Cannabis Co., and INSA.

In this exclusive Q&A with Mike Forenza, managing partner of AE Global, we learn more about the company’s plastic sustainability activities.

Why did AE Global target the cannabis industry? 

Forenza: We didn’t necessarily target the cannabis industry; rather, a large cannabis multistate operator (MSO) approached us, seeking support to manage an extensive supplier base and operate at a pace that wasn’t typical for the packaging industry. We recognized the opportunity to develop a predominantly domestic supply chain that could handle the demands of the large MSOs. 

Has the cannabis industry been particularly slow to select environmentally conscious packaging?

Forenza: The cannabis industry has the deck stacked against them in adopting eco-conscious packaging for two major reasons. The first challenge is regulation around child-resistant requirements for flower products. The second challenge is the fragmentation of labeling laws by state.

It’s nearly impossible for a multistate operator to choose a single packaging solution that satisfies all the regulatory requirements and brand needs across different states. This forces brand holders to prioritize packaging choices that ensure business survival, often at the expense of manufacturing efficiency or sustainable materials, which typically involve more complex supply chains. 

AE GLOBAL

Is industry awareness of the ocean-bound plastic problem the main goal of AE Global's activities at MJBizCon, in addition to event waste management?

Forenza: Funding incremental waste management infrastructure is our top priority. Ocean-bound plastics are an obvious first thought when considering environmental concerns, but the primary focus should be on building infrastructure to prevent waste from entering our waterways in the first place.

Everyone knows plastic left on its own poses environmental risks wherever it ends up. We also know that plastic isn’t something that will go away in the short term for a multitude of reasons. That’s why we’re bringing Talk Trash to MJBizCon this year. We want to meet cannabis executives where they are to talk about solutions. Our logical focus is on funding efforts to clean up the existing plastic pollution, especially in the absence of a breakthrough alternative material — and this is the movement we want to promote. 

How do AE Global's brand partners communicate their partnership to consumers?

Forenza: The key aspect of this for our brand partners is our turnkey approach to providing white-labeled marketing materials. Our agency of record, Small Circle, helps to integrate our customers’ brand identities into the Talk Trash marketing assets, minimizing the effort required for brands to effectively promote this platform. 

What steps to reduce plastic waste will be communicated to cannabis brand owners?

Forenza: At the beginning of our packaging audits, the first critical step is identifying the right package size in relation to the product itself. Sustainability in packaging has as much to do with overpackaging waste as it does with material choices.

This analysis then allows us to calculate the total package weight to generate the cost of plastic- offsetting through our collection partners. The goal is to minimize packaging volume as much as possible — without sacrificing key brand elements — while contributing capital towards the collection of materials that meet or exceed that same package weight. 

Read more about cannabis packaging sustainability at PlasticsToday.