Micron Waste Technologies (MWM) at the Forefront of Cannabis Disposal Issues
As the Canadian government inches closer to full legalization of adult-use cannabis, the details involved in the regulation of all aspects of the industry are raising additional questions that had not previously been widely considered. One issue being studied by the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry (AGFO) is the possible effects of cannabinoid residues on the environment, and the proper methods for cannabis waste disposal. With the volume of (legal) cannabis waste expected to increase dramatically over the next few years, the government is trying to get ahead of the challenge of how to properly dispose of tons of stalks and trimmings produced by the legal industry.
On March 27, 2018, AGFO heard testimony presented by Micron Waste Technologies Inc. (CSE: C.MWM, MICWF, Forum) regarding the company’s organic waste treatment solution. Already proven in supermarket applications for the treatment of food waste, the company’s technology could go a long way in helping Canada minimize the environmental impacts of the burgeoning legal cannabis industry.
Micron and Aurora Cannabis Team Up
Micron Waste had developed and launched its waste disposal system for food waste, but was eyeing the cannabis industry as a potentially lucrative vertical. In January, 2018, the company announced a groundbreaking collaboration with Aurora Cannabis Inc., one of Canada’s leading licensed producers.
Aurora invested about $1.5 million in Micron as part of a larger private placement. The companies agreed to install the initial waste digester unit at one of Aurora’s production facilities, and the installation is on track for June, 2018. The companies agreed to work together to optimize the technology onsite before installing more units at Aurora’s other facilities as well as pitching the solution to other producers.
Cam Battley, Aurora’s Chief Corporate Officer and Micron Director, joined Micron President Alfred Wong in presenting testimony to AGFO on how the organic waste digester can solve waste problems for the cannabis industry. With many cannabis companies pitching themselves as ‘green’ and looking to limit environmental impacts by reducing energy use and eliminating pesticides, Micron’s organic on-site technology fits in nicely with the direction the industry is taking.
“Micron’s solution is on track to be installed at Aurora’s facility by June of this year,” Mr. Wong testified. “This on-site process will minimise the cost of shipping cannabis waste to landfill or composting facilities and will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and carbon footprint. Our clean agricultural technology will provide licensed producers with an environmentally-sound, cost-effective solution for cannabis waste treatment and is anticipated to be able to meet the scale of Canada’s growing cannabis industry.”
The Advantages of Micron’s Solution
Cannabis producers are mandated to track every ounce of product, including waste. According to a recent article on the industry in Washington state, very few producers are composting their waste, either by employing industrial composting services or by composting on site. Almost all of the waste is going to public landfills, an inefficient and expensive process that also happens to increase the carbon footprint of the producers’ operations. Even if industrial composters are utilized, the waste needs to be trucked from the production site and the service paid for by the producer. If a producer chooses to compost on its own, the operation takes up a lot of space that might be more profitably utilized in cannabis production. In short, no existing solution checks all of the boxes: environmentally friendly, convenient, inexpensive, elegant.
Micron’s technology checks all of these boxes. Installed onsite, the digester removes the need to transport the waste off site, thereby reducing the impacts of trucking and landfill use. Due to its highly efficient design, the digester takes up much less space and requires much less oversight than traditional composting methods. Waste is broken down within a couple of days, much more quickly than with traditional composting operations. Cannabis waste is turned into sewage friendly product, and water used in the process could be recirculated and repurposed for other onsite uses like watering the plants and cleaning more waste.
Where Micron is Headed
Cannabis waste disposal is a problem that was perhaps not fully considered in the implementation of legal cannabis regulations, both in Canada and the United States. Canada is considering solutions ahead of recreational legalization, and Micron (with an assist from Aurora) is at the forefront of the search for viable solutions. Keep an eye on the Canadian government’s proceedings, as well as on Micron Waste Technologies’ developments as the initial units are installed, the technology refined, and the products commercialized. The company appears to have a solution to a problem that is much larger than people anticipated.
Full Disclosure: Micron WasteTechnologies Inc. is a paid client of Stockhouse Publishing.