“You can use empty cannabis packaging to store earrings, joints, hair-clips, cartridges, and candles.”

Kayla Zaddow

Budtender at Prairie and Luna Cannabis Co.

You’ve enjoyed your cannabis to the very end of its packaging. Now what? Not all of it can be easily recycled, but if you’re eco-conscious, you won’t want to throw it all in the garbage. So, what should you do with all those jars and tubes? What about vape products? Thanks to budtenders from Prairie and Luna Cannabis Co. and Montrose Cannabis, we’ve got some recycling solutions and crafty tips to share.

Do you have an in-store recycling program?

Both Prairie and Luna Cannabis Co. and Montrose Cannabis are proud to offer HYRYSE, a cannabis recycling program from Ryse Solutions, a Canadian waste compliance solutions company. HYRYSE accepts packaging from any Licensed Producer. “We partnered with Ryse to bring our customers an easy and convenient way to properly recycle their cannabis packaging,” says Montrose budtender Mikaela Fledderus. Montrose also works with Apical, a cardboard reuse program that accepts the return of certain Licensed Producer cases.

What about vape cartridges and batteries?

Don’t worry, HYRYSE has that covered too! In addition to plastic and glass packaging, vape cartridges and damaged batteries can also be safely disposed of. “Ryse recovers valuable component parts to be reused in industry and hazardous materials to be properly disposed of to ensure they don’t seep into the earth,” shares Kayla Zaddow from Prairie and Luna Cannabis Co.

Meanwhile, Canna Cabana stores accept packaging with the THC symbol. They send it to qualified service providers to be reused, upcycled or recycled into a variety of new items.

Learn about packaging practices, plastics and more here.

Which brands do you commend for their eco-conscious packaging?

It’s exciting to see more brands make sustainable shifts themselves, and thanks to Zaddow and Fledderus, we have a roundup of some of the current standouts.

In 2021, Nova Scotian brand Reef Organic started using ocean-reclaimed plastics for their packaging, and they’ve already removed 21,822 pounds of plastic from our oceans! Their edibles packaging is also fully compostable, and they use fully recyclable paperboard for their concentrates. Edibles company Wyld uses fully compostable, biodegradable packaging made from renewable resources like BioPBS, wood pulp and bio-resins. Every part of their packaging is biodegradable, right down to the adhesives, zippers and inks they use. Stewart Farms and Weathered Islands Craft Cannabis use 100% biodegradable materials for their packaging, and Carmel’s packaging is made using 43.5% post-consumer recycled materials. Carmel also reuses their boxes through their partnership with Apical.

Mikaela Fledderus

Budtender at Montrose Cannabis

“We partnered with Ryse to bring our customers an easy and convenient way to properly recycle their cannabis packaging.” 

Any tips or tricks for reusing cannabis packaging?

These budtenders have no shortage of creative ideas. Zaddow herself has repurposed glass flower jars as pots for small succulents, and says that they’re also a “great size for starting baby plants in.” Fledderus has heard that people also use them as storage for herbs, tea and even homemade lip balms. The Montrose budtender offers some other suggestions, “you can use the empty cannabis packaging to store earrings, joints, hair-clips, bobby pins, cartridges, hair ties, kief, lighters and candles,” shares Zaddow.

“The list is endless,” Fledderus exclaims. “Everyone could think of something to use them for.”

Read about how other Retailers are doing their part for the environment here.