- AE Global will celebrate its “Talk Trash” campaign at MJBizCon.
- Non-harmonized state regulations pose packaging challenges for cannabis brands.
- By achieving verified plastic removal credits, the campaign aims to help brands achieve plastic-negative or plastic-neutral packaging.
As the U.S. cannabis industry expands, so do its regulatory challenges—especially for packaging. Cannabis brands face an ever-shifting kaleidoscope of state-specific packaging regulations that add complexity, cost, and, often, excessive waste to the supply chain. Mike Forenza, Managing Partner of AE Global, a leading U.S. cannabis packaging supplier, shared insights with Reusable Packaging News on these challenges and how AE Global is stepping up to help the cannabis sector.
State-by-State Complexity: A Constant Hurdle
Cannabis packaging regulations vary widely across states, making it difficult for multi-state brands to achieve consistency. According to Forenza, each state enforces its own version of packaging requirements, creating a fragmented market that adds complexity and limits economies of scale. “For example, if you’re operating in states like California, Colorado, and Washington, you may find yourself managing completely different packaging for each one,” he explained. “Even the warning symbols and child-resistant requirements differ, which leads to a lot of wasted packaging when regulations change.”
These frequent changes can be particularly frustrating for cannabis companies trying to scale across multiple states, as they must constantly re-evaluate their packaging to remain compliant. “Ohio, for example, recently mandated a unique warning symbol for all cannabis packaging. This change means companies either need to order thousands of stickers or print new packaging entirely,” said Forenza. This creates a significant amount of waste, as previously compliant packaging quickly becomes obsolete.
AE Global’s Solution: Simplifying Complexity
To help cannabis brands navigate this regulatory maze, AE Global offers a one-stop-shop solution that simplifies procurement and packaging compliance. “Our role is to serve as a single source solution,” Forenza said. “We manage everything from labels to flexible and rigid containers, organizing ourselves to make life easier for these procurement teams.” AE Global’s approach reduces the stress associated with compliance and helps brands streamline their operations by consolidating vendors and simplifying procurement processes.
However, AE Global’s support extends beyond mere regulatory compliance. The company actively assists brands in adopting meaningful, sustainable practices, including developing certified plastic-negative packaging solutions through their innovative Talk Trash program.
Talk Trash at MJBizCon: Spotlight on Sustainability
At the upcoming MJBizCon trade show in Las Vegas, AE Global will feature its “Talk Trash” campaign to educate cannabis industry leaders about the environmental impacts of plastic waste and the possibilities for eco-conscious packaging. The program will be promoted and activated at every garbage, recycling, and landfill receptacle throughout the Las Vegas Convention Center during the expo, which is the cannabis industry’s largest. The program aligns with AE Global’s larger commitment to sustainability. The Talk Trash initiative showcases how simple it can be to become plastic-neutral or even plastic-negative.
Plastic Neutral and Plastic Negative are concepts aimed at addressing plastic pollution. As the company outlines on its Talk Trash campaign website:
- Plastic Neutral: A brand achieves this certification by offsetting the plastic it uses in its products and packaging. For every kilogram of plastic used, an equivalent amount is removed from the environment, balancing out its plastic footprint.
- Plastic Negative: This goes a step further. A brand that is certified plastic-negative removes twice as much plastic from the environment as it uses. For example, if a brand uses 1 kilogram of plastic, it would remove 2 kilograms from nature.
The system works by generating verified plastic removal credits for each kilogram of plastic waste recovered, ensuring that brands can demonstrate their commitment to combating plastic pollution effectively.
AE Global has already made significant strides in ocean-bound plastic recovery. In partnership with Ocean Recovery Group and rePurpose, AE Global has removed the equivalent of over 7 million 16 oz water bottles worth of ocean-bound plastic from the environment. Through the Talk Trash installations that will be activated at MJBizCon, attendees will see firsthand the impact of adopting sustainable materials and practices in packaging.
AE Global’s Sustainability Platform: An Easy Entry for Brands
AE Global’s Talk Trash campaign is part of a broader platform designed to help brands track and offset their plastic footprint. “We help brands calculate their plastic waste and then work with them to fund waste management infrastructure in under-resourced areas,” Forenza shared. AE Global’s partner organizations Ocean Recovery Group and rePurpose to collect and process plastic waste in communities that lack recycling infrastructure, giving cannabis companies a tangible way to reduce their environmental impact.
The program offers brands a realistic path to sustainability without forcing them to overhaul their supply chains. “Our goal is to make sustainability as accessible as possible, ideally in a way that’s cost-neutral,” Forenza said. “We help brands streamline their procurement processes so that any costs associated with offsetting plastic can potentially be balanced out.”
A Call to Action
Forenza has a simple message for MJBizCon attendees and the cannabis industry at large: “Whether you work with us or not, dedicating funds toward sustainable initiatives and waste management is a move that can benefit the entire industry, he said. “We’re here to help these companies not only navigate the complexities of compliance but also to create a positive impact on the environment.”
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Rick LeBlanc, EMBA, is the founder and editor of Reusable Packaging News (subscribe to the free newsletter) and editor of Western Pallet Magazine. A supply chain journalist with more than 30 years of experience, he specializes in pallets, reusable packaging, material handling and related operations. Rick is co-author of Pallets: A North American Perspective and Pallets & Progress: A Collected History of Pallets and Palletized Handling 1922–1945. He is also an advisory board member of the Virginia Tech Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design. Read Rick’s full bio.
