Lawmakers in Washington state have forwarded a proposal to Governor Jay Inslee’s desk that would permit cannabis operators to repurpose their green waste into commercial composts and other products, as reported by the Spokesman-Review.
The bill would enable cannabis operators to transform the byproducts of commercial cannabis harvests, such as stalks, stems, leaves, and roots, into various commercial products like composts, hempcrete, and fiber-based items. Notably, any final products sold to the public would be required to contain a THC concentration of less than 0.3%.
Presently, state law mandates that cannabis waste must be disposed of in landfills after being mixed with another material like kitty litter or sawdust.
Blue Roots Cannabis owner Seth Shamberg emphasized the environmental benefits of the proposed legislation, stating, “This doesn’t do our society any good to be continuing to fill landfills, especially when it’s being mixed with nonorganic garbage piling up or being put into plastic contractor bags before it’s dumped.”
The bill received unanimous approval in the Senate on Monday, following a 94-2 vote in favor by House lawmakers last month.
If Governor Inslee signs the bill into law, it would represent a notable legislative victory for cannabis advocates in Washington state. Despite the defeat of a proposal to legalize cannabis home grows earlier this year, lawmakers passed a bill in 2023 to safeguard job seekers in the state from discrimination based on off-the-clock cannabis use, a policy that came into effect on January 1.
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