Metrc To Launch Sustainable Tag Solution For Seed-to-Sale Tracking

Metrc, a provider of cannabis regulatory technology systems in the U.S., will launch sustainable radio frequency identification (RFID) plant tags developed to reduce waste, resulting in better all-around environmental performance. To ensure the success and adoption of the new plant tags, Metrc is initiating a pilot test program for select state agencies and licensees to provide feedback on the tag’s design, durability and readability.

The Lakeland, Florida-based company has been developing its sustainable tag solution to showcase its dedication to cannabis industry stakeholders, the communities they serve, and the overall environmental well-being of the planet. Now, it has managed to formulate sustainable paper plant tags that maintain durability and RFID technology efficiency. Metrc’s sustainable RFID tags are designed to improve compliance auditing and reporting, carrying embedded security advantages over other systems and arriving regulation-compliant and ready for use. Licensees do not need special printing equipment to create tags and labels, reducing errors and waste while saving businesses time and money.

“The launch of our sustainable RFID tags creates an environmentally friendly option for our licensees across the country,” stated Michael Johnson, CEO of Metrc. “We are confident that our breakthroughs in RFID technology and compositions will allow us to continue improving the sustainability of our tags down the line, and we look forward to receiving real-time feedback from our partners participating in the pilot program.”

In alignment with state agencies, the company’s nine-week pilot test program will permit licensees to evaluate the new tags' design, effectiveness and usability, including tag perforation and ease of tag separation, durability and readability, and more. Licensee participants will receive pilot test instructions and plant tags and straps shipped directly to their facility, free of charge, along with dedicated support to track feedback throughout the testing process, including completion of the program.

Tags Structure

The sustainable tags developed by Metrc contain 30% post-consumer waste (PCW), providing a steady source of demand for recycled paper products, 10% hemp, and 60% responsibly sourced Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified virgin paper fiber. The inclusion of hemp fiber to the PCW greatly improves tag durability, and by using recycled materials instead of new resources, Metrc is significantly reducing energy consumption, carbon emissions, waste in landfills, and water usage. In addition to reducing plastic use and waste, adding hemp and PCW saves 302,000 pounds of wood, equivalent to 910 trees per year, based on industry calculations of the production of 226,000 pounds of material. The base material of the sustainable tags is made with 100 percent renewable Green E-certified wind-powered electricity (RECs) under a third-party certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management System and is manufactured carbon neutral (VERs), offering additional environmental benefits to the materials and process.

Following the pilot program, Metrc expects to officially launch its sustainable RFID tag solution in 2023, with a complete transition planned for 2024.

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Photo: Courtesy of Jeff W on Unsplash