(a) Licensees shall not dispose of cannabis goods, unless disposed of as cannabis waste, defined under section 5000(g) of this division.
(b) Cannabis waste shall be stored, managed, and disposed of in accordance with all applicable waste management laws, including, but not limited to, Division 30 of the Public Resources Code.
(c) Cannabis goods intended for disposal shall remain on the licensed premises until rendered into cannabis waste. The licensee shall ensure that:
(1) Access to the cannabis goods is restricted to the licensee, its employees or agents; and
(2) Storage of the cannabis goods allocated for disposal is separate and distinct from other cannabis goods.
(d) To be rendered as cannabis waste for proper disposal, including disposal as defined under Public Resources Code section 40192, cannabis goods shall first be destroyed on the licensed premises. This includes, at a minimum, removing or separating the cannabis goods from any packaging or container and rendering it unrecognizable and unusable. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require vape cartridges to be emptied of cannabis oil prior to disposal, provided that the vape cartridge itself is unusable at the time of disposal.
(e) Cannabis waste on the licensed premises shall be secured in a receptacle or area that is restricted to the licensee, its employees, or an authorized waste hauler.
(f) A licensee shall report all cannabis waste activities, up to and including disposal, into the track and trace system, as required under Chapter 1, Article 6 of this division.
Building a Thriving Sacramento Cannabis Industry.
We are stronger as a nation with a unified voice. GAIACA services the greater Sacramento area on a weekly basis. Keeping our finger on the pulse of the cannabis industry is why we chose the state's capital as our launch market.
GAIACA provides cannabis/marijuana waste compliance services that let you operate successfully in the Sacramento regulated market.
Site Evaluations
Your initial site inspection will allow us to evaluate and understand your specific needs as an operator. We will help you identify and profile your cannabis waste for compliance.
Waste Management Plans
Post Evaluation, GAIACA will create a site-specific cannabis waste management plan, addressing all applicable local, State, and Federal laws.
Secure Waste Storage
In an advised location we place our secure drums for cannabis waste accumulation. In addition to drums our dispensary clients benefit from secure lock boxes for our vape pen recycling program.
Environmental Consulting
GAIACA’s zero waste mission starts with our mindset and continues with our biodegradable drum inner bag liners. Our 150,000 gallon pond captures hazardous run-off aside our 1/2 acre compost lot with polyvinyl chloride 30mm liner.
Proprietary Onsite Rendering
Our convenient method will convert your cannabis rendered “unusable and unrecognizable” prior to leaving your licensed facility making you compliant with state regulations.
Recycling & Waste Manifest
Not all waste is created equally, cannabis waste must be responsibly disposed, tracked and traced. GAIACA’s tracking method provides peace of mind your waste was properly disposed to meet the states Track-and-Trace requirements.
Bureau of Cannabis Control (BCC) – (Retailers, Distributors, Testing Labs, and Microbusinesses).
Here is the direct link to the Regulatory Website: https://bcc.ca.gov/law_regs/cannabis_order_of_adoption.pdf
§ 5054. Destruction of Cannabis Goods Prior to Disposal.
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) – Manufactured Cannabis Safety Branch (Manufacturers).
Here is the direct link to the Regulatory Website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DFDCS/MCSB/CDPH%20Document%20Library/DPH17010_FinalClean.pdf
§ 40290. Waste Management.
(a) A licensee shall have a written cannabis waste management plan and shall dispose of all waste, including cannabis waste, in accordance with the Public Resources Code and any other applicable state and local laws, including laws regulating “organic waste” as defined in Public Resources Code section 42649.8(c). It is the responsibility of the licensee to properly evaluate waste to determine if it should be designated and handled as a hazardous waste, as defined in section 40141 of the Public Resources Code.
(b) A licensee shall dispose of any cannabis waste in a secured waste receptacle or secured area on the licensed premises. For the purposes of this section, “secured waste receptacle” or “secured area” means that physical access to the receptacle or area is restricted to the licensee, employees of the licensee, the local agency, waste hauler franchised or contracted by the local agency, or private waste hauler permitted by the local agency only. Public access to the designated receptacle or area shall be prohibited.
(c) No cannabis product shall be disposed of in its packaging, and all cannabis waste shall be unrecognizable and unusable as cannabis or a cannabis product at the time of disposal. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require waste vape cartridges to be emptied of cannabis oil prior to disposal, provided that the vape cartridge is itself unrecognizable and unusable at the time of disposal.
(d) Cannabis waste shall be entered into the track-and-trace system as required under Section 40512.
(e) Cannabis waste may be collected from a licensee in conjunction with a regular organic waste collection route used by the local agency, a waste hauler franchised or contracted by the local agency, or a private waste hauler permitted by the local agency. If a local agency, a waste hauler franchised or contracted by the local agency, or a private waste hauler permitted by the local agency is being used to collect and process cannabis waste, a licensee shall do all of the following:
(1) Maintain and make available to the Department upon request the business name, address, contact person, and contact phone number of the entity hauling the waste; and
(2) Obtain documentation from the entity hauling the waste that evidences subscription to a waste collection service.
(f) If a licensee is self-hauling cannabis waste as allowed by the local jurisdiction, the licensee shall be subject to all of the following requirements:
(1) Self-hauled cannabis waste shall only be transported by the licensee or its employees;
(2) Self-hauled cannabis waste shall only be transported to one or more of the following:
(A) A manned fully permitted solid waste landfill or transformation facility;
(B) A manned fully permitted composting facility or manned composting operation;
(C) A manned fully permitted in-vessel digestion facility or manned in-vessel digestion operation; or
(D) A manned fully permitted transfer/processing facility or manned transfer/processing operation.
(3) The licensee or its employee who transports the waste shall obtain for each delivery of cannabis waste a copy of a certified weight ticket or receipt from the solid waste facility.
California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) – (Cultivators).
Here is the direct link to the Regulatory Website: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/calcannabis/documents/FinalRegText.pdf
§ 8108. Cannabis Waste Management Plan.
For the purposes of this section, “cannabis waste” is organic waste, as defined in section 42649.8(c) of the Public Resources Code. An applicant’s cannabis waste management plan shall identify one or more of the following methods for managing cannabis waste generated on its licensed premises:
(a) On-premises composting of cannabis waste;
(b) Collection and processing of cannabis waste by a local agency, a waste hauler franchised or contracted by a local agency, or a private waste hauler permitted by a local agency;
(c) Self-haul cannabis waste to one or more of the following:
(1) A manned, fully permitted solid waste landfill or transformation facility;
(2) A manned, fully permitted composting facility or manned composting operation;
(3) A manned, fully permitted in-vessel digestion facility or manned in-vessel digestion operation;
(4) A manned, fully permitted transfer/processing facility or manned transfer/processing operation; or
(5) A manned, fully permitted chip and grind operation or facility.
(6) A recycling center as defined in title 14, section 17402.5(d) of the California Code of Regulations and that meets the following:
(A) The cannabis waste received shall contain at least ninety (90) percent inorganic material;
(B) The inorganic portion of the cannabis waste is recycled into new, reused, or reconstituted products which meet the quality standards necessary to be used in the marketplace; and
(C) The organic portion of the cannabis waste shall be sent to a facility or operation identified in subsection (c)(1) through (5).
(d) Reintroduction of cannabis waste back into agricultural operation through on premises organic waste recycling methods, including but not limited to tilling directly into agricultural land and no-till farming.
§ 8308. Cannabis Waste Management.
(a) For the purposes of this section, “cannabis waste” is organic waste, as defined in section 42649.8(c) of the Public Resources Code.
(b) A licensee shall manage all hazardous waste, as defined in section 40141 of the Public Resources Code, in compliance with all applicable hazardous waste statutes and regulations.
(c) A licensee shall manage all cannabis waste in compliance with division 30, part 3, chapters 12.8, 12.9, and 13.1 of the Public Resources Code. In addition, licensees are obligated to obtain all required permits, licenses, or other clearances and comply with all orders, laws, regulations, or other requirements of other regulatory agencies, including, but not limited to, local health agencies, regional water quality control boards, air quality management districts, or air pollution control districts, local land use authorities, and fire authorities.
(d) A licensee shall dispose of cannabis waste in a secured waste receptacle or in a secured area on the licensed premises designated on the licensee’s premises diagram and as identified in the licensee’s cultivation plan. For the purposes of this section, “secure waste receptacle” or “secured area” means physical access to the receptacle or area is restricted to only the licensee, employees of the licensee, the local agency, or a waste hauler franchised or contracted by a local agency, or a private waste hauler permitted by the local agency. Public access to the designated receptacle or area shall be strictly prohibited.
(e) A licensee shall comply with the method(s) for managing cannabis waste identified on its cannabis waste management plan in accordance with section 8108.
(f) If composting cannabis waste on the licensed premises, a licensee shall do so in compliance with title 14 of the California Code of Regulations, division 7, chapter 3.1 (commencing with section 17850).
(g) If a local agency, a waste hauler franchised or contracted by a local agency, or a private waste hauler permitted by a local agency is being used to collect and process cannabis waste, a licensee shall do all the following:
(1) Obtain and retain the following information from the local agency, waste hauler franchised or contracted by the local agency, or private waste hauler permitted by the local agency that will collect and process the licensee’s cannabis waste:
(A) Name of local agency providing waste hauling services, if applicable;
(B) Company name of the waste hauler franchised or contracted by a local agency or private waste hauler permitted by the local agency, if applicable;
(C) Local agency or company business address; and
(D) Name of the primary contact person at the local agency or company and contact person’s phone number.
(2) Obtain and retain a copy of a receipt from the local agency, waste hauler franchised or contracted by the local agency, or private waste hauler permitted by the local agency evidencing subscription to a waste collection service;
(3) Cannabis waste may be collected from a licensee in conjunction with a regular organic waste collection route used by the local agency, the waste hauler franchised or contracted by a local agency, or private waste hauler permitted by the local agency.
(h) If self-hauling cannabis waste to one or more of the solid waste facilities in section 8108(c) of this chapter, a licensee shall obtain and retain, for each delivery of cannabis waste by the licensee, a copy of a certified weight ticket or receipt documenting delivery prepared by a representative(s) of the solid waste facility receiving the self-hauled cannabis waste. Transportation of self-hauled cannabis waste shall only be performed by the licensee or employees of the licensee.
(i) If cannabis waste is hauled to a recycling center that meets the requirements of section 8108(c)(6), in addition to the tracking requirement set forth in section 8405 and 8406 of this chapter, a licensee shall use the track-and-trace system and documentation required pursuant to this section to ensure the cannabis waste is identified, weighed, and tracked while on the licensed premises and until the cannabis waste becomes a new, reused, or reconstituted product.
(j) In addition to all other tracking requirements set forth in sections 8405 and 8406 of this chapter, a licensee shall use the track-and-trace system and documentation required pursuant to this section to ensure the cannabis waste is identified, weighed, and tracked while on the licensed premises and when disposed of in accordance with subsections (f), (g), and (h) above.
(k) A licensee shall maintain accurate and comprehensive records regarding cannabis waste that account for, reconcile, and evidence all activity related to the generation or disposition of cannabis waste. All records required by this section are records subject to inspection by the department and shall be kept pursuant to section 8400 of this chapter.
