Building a Thriving Florida Cannabis Industry.

We are stronger as a nation with a unified voice. That’s why GAIACA aims to build a new location in Florida to serve you with the same high standard of service we already provide in California.

GAIACA provides cannabis/marijuana waste compliance services that let you operate successfully in Florida’s 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.

Per the rules set forth by Florida’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use, a subjection of the Department of Health, all Medical Marijuana Treatment Centers are required to manager their Marijuana waste per Rule 64ER20-16 – MMTC Marijuana Waste Management and Disposal.

(1) Marijuana Waste includes the following materials…

(1) As used in this rule, the term “Marijuana Waste” includes the following materials:
(a) Plant material waste, which means leaves, stalks, stems, roots, and any other part of the marijuana plant that is not processed with solvent or used in the processing of marijuana to generate usable product;
(b) Processing waste, which means spent solvents, lab wastes, and similar materials used in the processing of marijuana;
(c) Product waste, which means marijuana and usable product that is unfit for sale or consumption. Product waste includes unused, returned, surplus, contaminated, recalled, and expired marijuana or usable product; and
(d) Other contaminated materials ready for disposal. “Contaminated materials” mean any item, object, utensil, material, or tool that contained or came in contact with marijuana or usable product and cannot be cleaned of marijuana residue. An MMTC may clean contaminated material using any method that completely eliminates any trace marijuana residuals from the material. Once the material is verified to be void of any marijuana residue, the material may be recycled or disposed of like any other non-marijuana waste that falls outside the scope of this rule.
(e) Notwithstanding the foregoing, Marijuana Waste does not include hazardous waste or universal waste, as those terms are defined in Rule 62-730.020, F.A.C. Nothing herein is intended to relieve an MMTC of its obligation to comply with applicable federal and state laws and regulations for solid and liquid wastes, as required by s. 381.986(8)(e), F.S.

(2) Marijuana Waste must be rendered unusable…

(2) Marijuana Waste must be rendered unusable and unrecognizable before it leaves an MMTC facility or is composted onsite, as provided in subparagraph (4)(b)3. Marijuana Waste is unrecognizable if all components are homogenous and indistinguishable. Marijuana Waste is unusable if it is incapable of being salvaged and consumed through any means.
(a) Marijuana Waste that is composted must be rendered unusable and unrecognizable by grinding and mixing the compostable Marijuana Waste with at least an equal amount of other compostable materials (e.g., food waste, yard waste, vegetable-based grease or oils).
(b) Marijuana Waste that is not composted must be rendered unusable and unrecognizable by grinding the Marijuana Waste with at least an equal amount of other compostable materials (e.g., food waste, yard waste, vegetable-based grease or oils) or non-compostable materials (e.g., paper waste, cardboard waste, plastic waste, or oil), or both.

(3) Marijuana Waste that cannot be rendered unusable…

(3) Marijuana Waste that cannot be rendered unusable and unrecognizable, as required by subsection (2), must be rendered irretrievable by permanently altering its physical or chemical condition through irreversible means such that it cannot be transformed to a physical or chemical condition or state as marijuana or a substance with a chemical structure or effect that is similar to marijuana.

(4) At least two employees of the Medical Marijuana Treatment Center (MMTC)…

(4) At least two employees of the MMTC, one of which must be a manager, must be present when rendering the Marijuana Waste unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable. Steps taken to render Marijuana Waste unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable must be conducted under video surveillance.
(a) Until such time that the Marijuana Waste is rendered unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable, the Marijuana Waste must be stored in a waste receptacle(s) that is:
1. A securely locked, enclosed container;
2. Securely fastened to a permanent structure so that it cannot be removed; and
3. Located in a secured area of the facility.
(b) After Marijuana Waste is rendered unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable, the Marijuana Waste shall be disposed of via one of the following methods:
1. Delivered to an appropriate solid waste management facility, as that term is defined in chapter 62-701, F.A.C.;
2. Delivered to a composting facility that is registered with or permitted by the Department of Environmental Protection pursuant to chapter 62-709, F.A.C.; or
3. Composted onsite by the MMTC in accordance with chapter 62-709, F.A.C.

(5) An MMTC must maintain a waste management plan…

(5) An MMTC must maintain a waste management plan that will be provided to the department upon request and is subject to the department’s approval. A waste management plan must include, at a minimum:
(a) The identity of the MMTC’s inventory manager and the MMTC employees with access to the Marijuana Waste storage area(s) of its facility(ies);
(b) Procedures for weighing, tracking and manifesting Marijuana Waste out of the MMTC’s seed-to-sale tracking system;
(c) Procedures for rendering Marijuana Waste unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable, as required by this rule;
(d) Procedures for storing Marijuana Waste before it is rendered unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable;
(e) The manner of disposing of Marijuana Waste after it is rendered unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable;
(f) Employee training materials and exercises concerning the MMTC’s Marijuana Waste management procedures; and
(g) Record maintenance and retention procedures for Marijuana Waste records.

(6) An MMTC must maintain records of the Marijuana Waste…

(6) An MMTC must maintain records of the Marijuana Waste it generates. Such records must account for all activity related to the disposal of the Marijuana Waste, including:
(a) The date, time, and manner of rendering the Marijuana Waste unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable, along with the legible names and signatures of the persons who rendered the Marijuana Waste unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable;
(b) The video recording of the persons rendering the Marijuana Waste unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable;
(c) The name of the entity(ies) hauling the Marijuana Waste, if any, and documentation that evidences the MMTC’s subscription to waste collection services from that entity; and
(d) The date, time, and manner of disposing of the Marijuana Waste, including whether the Marijuana Waste was disposed of via delivery to a solid waste management facility, delivery to a registered or permitted composting facility, or composted onsite by the MMTC.
(e) Video surveillance recordings must be retained for at least 45 days. All other Marijuana Waste records must be retained for at least two years.

(7) An MMTC must provide a minimum of 72 hours’ notice…

(7) An MMTC must provide a minimum of 72 hours’ notice in the MMTC’s seed-to-sale tracking system prior to rendering the Marijuana Waste unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable and must record in the tracking system the weight of the Marijuana Waste to be rendered unusable and unrecognizable or irretrievable. At least two MMTC employees, one of which must be a manager, must be present when manifesting Marijuana Waste out of the seed-to-sale tracking system.

GAIACA’s waste services meets all requirements set forth in Section R 333.237, and has received approval from the Marijuana Regulator Agency to conduct such services for operators.

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