American cannabis regulatory technology company Metrc has something new to help companies track crops from seed to sale.
Today, Metrc announced the launch of its sustainable radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, designed to reduce waste and improve environmental performance.
Metrc is running a pilot program with a select group of state agencies and licensees to gather feedback on tag design, readability, and integrity.
Metrc says it developed a sustainable tag to show dedication to cannabis industry stakeholders, communities, and the Earth’s environmental health.
The company says its environmental commitment prompted it to create sustainable paper plant tags that are durable and efficient.
According to Metrc, its tags can improve compliance auditing and reporting, giving them an advantage over other systems.
Metrc says the tags come ready to use, eliminating the need for licensees to print tags and labels on special equipment.
The company also says the tags reduce errors and waste and save time and money.
“The launch of our sustainable RFID tags creates an environmentally friendly option for our licensees across the country,” says Metrc CEO Michael Johnson. “We are confident that our breakthroughs in RFID technology and compositions will allow us to continue improving sustainability of our tags down the line, and we look forward to receiving real-time feedback from our partners participating in the pilot program.”
Sustainably Tagging the Future of Cannabis
Metrc says the nine-week pilot program will test the tags’ design, effectiveness, usability, perforation, ease of separation, durability, and readability.
Pilot program participants will receive free tags, straps, and support to track feedback throughout the testing.
According to Metrc, the tags contain 30 percent post-consumer waste, 10 percent hemp, and 60 percent responsible-sourced Forest Stewardship Council-certified virgin paper fiber.
Using hemp fiber increases the tags’ durability, and recycled materials reduce energy consumption and waste.
Metrc says that besides reducing plastic use and waste, adding hemp saves approximately 302,000 pounds of wood annually.
According to Metrc, its tags use one-third less material than other tags, using an innovative method that encases the tamper-proof inlay in two layers instead of three.
With an average shelf life of nine months, the licensees can use the tags for a plant’s entire growth-to-harvest cycle.
Metrc says the new sustainable tags have a read range 17 percent more effective than other tags.
After the pilot program’s completion, Metrc plans to launch its sustainable RFID tags in 2023, followed by a full transition in 2024.