When a state legalizes medical or adult-use cannabis, packaging and labeling rules are written with consumer safety in mind. But cannabis regulations in legal states have created an issue of packaging waste.
While hemp and cannabis are environmentally-friendly on their own, the plastic containers that they come in are often not.
California-based cannabis firm, KushCo Holdings Inc. has signed a long-term development and distribution agreement with IEKO Corporation to address the issue of packaging waste.
IEKO is vertically-integrated sustainable materials company with offices in Shanghai, China and Los Angeles, California.
“It’s our responsibility to reimagine our products today to ensure the viability of our planet tomorrow,” said KushCo Holdings’ CEO, Nick Kovacevich in a press release. “Customers are demanding an environmentally conscious solution for their everyday packaging needs. Partnering with Bob Meers and IEKO is a huge win for us.”
He said it was inspiring to see the former CEO of Reebok and Lululemon so passionate about the environment and is honored to be a part of the eco-sustainability movement.
KushCo and IEKO will be working together to develop compostable, biodegradable products and formulations from renewable resources for the cannabis and CBD industries.
“Our partnership allows us to be a vertically-integrated formulating, compounding, processing, and producing solution committed to making 100 percent commercially compostable, sustainable packaging without exception,” said IEKO CEO Robert J. Meers. “Partnering with KushCo gives us the ability to continue to develop the next generation of renewably resourced, zero-waste packaging materials and we are thrilled to be partnering with a company that shares our commitment to the IEKO mission of ‘do no harm.’”
National Geographic reported in 2018 that plastic takes more than 400 years to degrade, and 91 percent of it is not recycled.
