At the Heart of Cannabis: Environmental Awareness and Sustainability Efforts
Trulieve is the first and leading medical cannabis company in the state of Florida, in the third most populous state in the United States. With our continued rapid growth throughout the country and within the state of Florida, we are ever more aware of local and national impacts we may have as a cannabis company. Whether it is providing safe, quality products for patients and customers, job and tax creation as an economic engine for states, or looking toward social issues and environmental impact – we are committed to doing our part as we expand our footprint in the US.
As a company, we have only been in the cannabis industry for a few years but as we grow, we want to avoid or reduce any predictable growing pains that come with this fast-growth market. We also need to be prepared for the unpredictable. For example, while operating against the backdrop of COVID 19, the health and safety procedures have been revamped at each location. We have gone above and beyond current CDC & OSHA recommendations and guidelines. Our teams continuously monitor for regulation changes in the industry and the adoption of new technologies as they become more readily available. And we are looking toward building our policies and procedures for the future.
For instance, environmental awareness and sustainability efforts have always been a focal point as we expand into new territories. We are broadening our footprint into other states such as Massachusetts and Pennsylvania in 2021 and have a number of applications in other states. Each state has its own independent rules and regulations based on the law that was passed. As we operate facilities under each of these regulatory frameworks -- both new facilities and those currently being built, we focus on many key improvements and investments for water, energy, and waste reductions. We have also listened and collaborated with our customers and employees and consider their feedback with new innovative ideas and perspectives.
Our Massachusetts facility is a prime example. Trulieve invested in a license that included an old mill in Holyoke, MA. Holyoke is a majority-minority community similar to where we established our grow operations in Florida. We completely rehabbed the facility and included many advanced systems and plans to make our Massachusetts facility a cultivation and production operation with sustainability as top of mind.
As a company, we have made great strides and would like to share some of our activities as a model for where we are heading as a company and as an industry:
WATER CONSUMPTION:
Reducing water consumption in most facilities by utilizing advanced techniques and the use of efficient growing media of Rockwool in most locations.
Continuously reducing the use of unnecessary water onsite by installing low flow and motion detection devices within some of our most common bathrooms and break rooms.
Installing more hand sanitizing stations in high traffic areas to reduce the volume of water used onsite vs. actual hand washing.
Implementing within the cultivation grow rooms the use of advanced water metering systems that help monitor and reduce our daily water consumption.
Utilizing reclaimed rainwater, particularly in our Florida grow sites, with advanced purification techniques for irrigation.
ENERGY CONSUMPTION:
Installing LED lighting in Massachusetts, and light motion sensor detection devices are being installed in the offices and common areas as well to help reduce the cost of wasted energy.
Designing energy-efficient facilities to help reduce power consumption and reduce overall environment’ carbon footprint.
Establishing waste to energy programs to help reduce or eliminate potential waste streams.
Utilizing advanced transportation and logistics routing software for our shipping programs to optimize transportation between customers while reducing carbon emissions generated.
Reducing energy usage through our “Lean Manufacturing” which is also improving operating efficiencies.
Considering energy efficiency as a key factor in the design of new equipment installed.
WASTE REDUCTION:
Managing our growing media composting program is also evolving as new technologies become available to us in the industry.
Utilizing bio-digesters onsite helps us recycle and or eliminate organic waste stream materials through its rapid composting behavior.
Recycling unwanted materials such as cardboard, plastic, paper, drum, pallet, metal recycling has been implemented in our facilities to help reduce our waste impact on the environment.
Incorporating advanced equipment/techniques and the reuse solvents by purification is helping reduce our carbon footprint onsite.
OVERALL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
Moving the industry further in environmental studies and the collection of data from 3rd parties, we have also started a collaboration study with Byers Scientific, in the measurement of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions being emitted by large, concentrated growths of cannabis in regions, and the research of its impact.
Even though there are currently no environmental regulations on this potential impact on the environment, we are currently in the process of reviewing and installing air scrubbers and odor emission control devices where we believe would be beneficial.
CUSTOMER AND EMPLOYEE AWARENESS:
Collaborating with customers and suppliers to increase the use of reusable packaging in the stores.
Offering an employee engagement and education plan around environmental sustainability.
Developing employee “Sustainability Champions” to drive behavioral and cultural change around environmental sustainability.
Until federal law is passed to help regulate some of the ongoing Industry concerns and standardize requirements on water and energy consumption as well as waste reduction, we will do what we can as a company to push forward on best practices. We strive to always be ahead of the curve by working with local governments and agencies when considering and incorporating new practices and technologies as they do become available.
Lastly, we understand that environmental issues are important, so we recently issued a sustainability review of where we are and where we will be focused in the year to come. There is more to growing a business than just the day-to-day operations. Bottom line, sustainability is vitally important to Trulieve – we are growing a socially and environmentally responsible company ready for the future.
