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Can automation help make the pre roll industry more sustainable? The short answer is yes, removing human error from any process generally improves sustainability for a business by reducing waste.
The long answer is not every automatic pre roll machine is gonna do the trick. Some may even cause more harm, especially if they’re made and shipped from overseas.
Either way, automating your pre roll production process can, at the very least, improve your bottom line by eliminating the element of human error. But where the real revenue boost lies is in prioritizing the overall environmental impact of your business.
Sustainability is one of the main factors in cannabis consumers’ purchasing habits, so choosing a pre roll machine that not only eliminates human error but also improves the environmental impact of your business is the true key to increasing profit.
The Environmental Impact of Traditional Pre Roll Production
Traditional pre roll production was reliant on manual hand-rollers. While this is admirable and artful, it tended to create significant waste. With no automated process in place, paper and/or cones were easily wasted, crutches and tips were quickly lost, flower ended up all over the production floor, and joints came out in all different shapes and sizes.
These days, automated pre roll machines are replacing most hand-rolling operations, but they can come with their own wasteful elements of production, especially if the machine stuffs pre-made cones versus rolls fresh joints.
If you’re considering automating your pre roll production, it’s important to research where the machine is made as well as where its consumable materials come from to be sure it’s a sustainable move instead of just replacing one version of waste with another.
Stuffed Cones: Wasteful or Sustainable?
An automatic pre roll machine that stuffs cones will reduce waste in your operation to an extent.
It allows you to:
- Eliminate the waste associated with human error
- Measure and track your production more efficiently so you can tighten up production
- Produce more pre rolls using less space and manpower
However, pre roll machines that stuff cones introduce a new side of waste into your operation: shipping waste.
Pre roll cones are generally made by hand in India, Indonesia, or China. They’re shipped as cones, standing straight up and wrapped in a ton of packaging to ensure their shape isn’t compromised during transport. This process creates loads of waste in shipping materials, and it also creates a massive carbon footprint for businesses working with pre roll cones. Having to ship those pallets from overseas is not fast or cheap, and depending on how many pre rolls you need to produce, you might have to ship more than one of those pallets at a time.
Automate Your Operation With the Right Materials
To address the shipping issues discussed above, the most effective answer is to utilize a pre roll machine made in the US, or at the very least, leverage consumable materials made in the US. It also helps to prioritize materials that naturally have less impact on the environment.
For example, hemp-based rolling papers are a more sustainable option than traditional wood-pulp-based papers. Hemp requires fewer pesticides and water than many other crops and has a quicker growth cycle, making it a more renewable resource. Additionally, these papers are biodegradable, reducing their environmental footprint when disposed of properly.
Biodegradable filters are another innovation gaining traction in sustainable pre roll production. Traditional cellulose filters can take years to break down, contributing to environmental waste. Biodegradable options made from plant-based materials decompose more quickly, mitigating their long-term environmental impact.
Many companies are also now opting for recyclable or compostable pre roll packaging made from renewable materials like cardboard, bioplastics, and plant fibers. This shift reduces the need for petroleum-based plastics and minimizes the amount of waste ending up in landfills.
Sustainability Starts with Automation
Automating your pre roll production will increase sustainability in your business no matter what, but certain choices will improve sustainability at a greater rate than others.
In general, when choosing to automate your pre roll production and prioritize sustainability, consider factors like:
- Where the automatic pre roll machine is made. Will it and any of its replacement parts have to be shipped from the other side of the planet?
- Where your consumable materials come from. Where are your paper, tips, crutches, packaging, etc. being shipped from? Also from the other side of the planet?
- What your consumable materials are made of. Are you able to work with a resource that’s easily renewable, like hemp paper? Or does the pre roll machine you’re considering require wood-pulp paper?
- Does the machine stuff cones or roll joints? Pre-made cones wreak havoc on the environment because they must be shipped standing up, wrapped in enough packaging to maintain their shape while in transit. An automatic pre roll machine that doesn’t require a cone could greatly reduce your shipping materials waste and carbon emissions.
Automation is a crucial factor in scaling any pre roll business, especially as we continue to see pre roll sales increase across the country. Prioritizing sustainability in your automation will give you an edge over the competition as consumers continue to prioritize sustainability in their own purchases.
