A Guide to Reclaimed Ocean-Bound Plastic for Sustainable Cannabis Packaging

Sana Packaging was founded to help create a more sustainable cannabis industry through high-quality, eco-friendly cannabis packages. We recently celebrated reclaiming over 750,000 pounds of ocean-bound plastic with our line of ocean-bound packaging products, so there’s no better time to discuss how reclaimed and recycled ocean plastic can help make a difference in the world of sustainable cannabis containers. 

The Problem with Single-Use Plastic Packaging in the Cannabis Industry

Most consumer packaged goods industries, including the cannabis industry, have to contend with the problem of packaging. Plastic packaging is considered the default, but the near ubiquity of single-use plastic packaging has a massive negative impact on the environment.

Plastic Containers Harm the Earth, the Environment, and Us

Experts estimate that up to 11 million tons of plastic could enter the oceans each year, an amount that has increased annually since we began mass-producing plastics in the 1950s. Plastic pollution disproportionately impacts disenfranchised communities, so reducing the amount of single-use plastic in our world is a matter of social justice. 

Since the cannabis industry is still relatively new, we have the potential to shift the way we look at packaging and opt for sustainable materials as the default. At Sana Packaging, we believe that reclaimed ocean-bound plastic is one of the best ways to help reduce the amount of single-use plastic waste entering our environment. 

What is Reclaimed Ocean-Bound Plastic?

Reclaimed ocean-bound plastic is plastic waste collected from areas in and around the shoreline. It is then cleaned, processed, and recycled for further use. 

Where Does Ocean-Bound Plastic Come From?

There are a few different designations for ocean-bound plastic depending on where it is collected. Generally speaking, though, this plastic pollution is gathered from the oceans, shores, waterways, and communities up to 50 kilometers inland. Reclaiming and recycling ocean-bound plastic keeps plastic waste out of our oceans. 

Sana Packaging is proud to partner with Oceanworks for our reclaimed ocean-bound plastic. This company makes a difference by creating pure, high-quality, reclaimed ocean-bound plastic, and their work allows us and our clients to make a difference, too. 

Why Reclaimed Plastic is an Excellent Choice for Sustainable Cannabis Packaging

Reclaimed ocean-bound plastic is a more effective way to embrace sustainability and circularity than several of the other most popular options, like biodegradable petroleum-based plastic and virgin recyclable plastic. 

Biodegradable Petroleum-Based Plastic Still Releases Dangerous Microplastics 

Recently, many companies have started advertising “biodegradable” petroleum-based plastic packaging. This terminology is meaningless at best and misleading at worst; technically, everything is biodegradable over a long enough timeline. Putting the word “biodegradable” on plastic packaging does not provide any information about how long it will take, what conditions are necessary, or what it will degrade into. 

In the case of biodegradable petroleum-based plastic, these containers will break down into microplastics. Microplastics can — and have — infiltrated everything from the clouds above Mt. Fuji to human blood. They are much more difficult to detect and remove from nature and have untold adverse effects on human, animal, and environmental health. 

Virgin Recyclable Plastic Packages Don’t Address the Root of the Problem

Though recyclable packaging made from virgin plastic sounds like a good solution, it fails to address the root cause of plastic pollution and, ultimately, introduces more plastic waste into the environment. Only 9% of plastic is actually recycled; the rest is incinerated, put into a landfill, or lost in the environment. The global waste management system is woefully unequipped to handle the sheer volume of plastic waste we produce, so simply choosing recyclable materials isn’t enough. 

All of Sana Packaging’s reclaimed ocean-bound plastic packages are both recycled and recyclable, so they remove excess plastic pollution from the environment and, in an ideal world, can be recycled in turn. Most importantly, using recycled materials is the single best way to support our recycling system. 

What Types of Eco-Friendly Cannabis Packages Can be Made From Reclaimed Plastic?

Sana Packaging carries sustainable solutions for nearly every type of cannabis product with our reclaimed ocean-bound plastic line of cannabis product packages. 

Preroll Packaging

Our large preroll tubes are the perfect size for king-size joints, typical blunts, or small cannabis vapes. Our small preroll tubes fit a mini joint or a standard vape cartridge. We’ve just introduced a preroll multipack, too, that can hold up to five standard-size cannabis prerolls. 

Cannabis Flower Packaging

Our Ocean Jars are perfect for flower, edibles, or topicals. They hold up to seven grams of flower or four ounces of other products. 

Cannabis Concentrate Packaging

Sana also carries lids made from reclaimed ocean-bound plastics that pair with mini recycled glass jars to package cannabis wax and other concentrates.

Creating a More Sustainable Cannabis Industry and Keeping the Oceans Clean

Sana Packaging is proud to have positively impacted the cannabis industry and the environment with our sustainable cannabis packaging. We believe that reclaimed ocean-bound plastic is one of the best ways to clean the environment and create eco-friendly cannabis packages simultaneously. We can’t wait to reach our next milestone of over a million pounds of plastic kept out of the world’s oceans. 

To learn more about our products and help improve the world, one cannabis package at a time, contact Sana Packaging today.