Retailer Asks Legislature to Ease Packaging Collection and Clarify Accounts Receivable Rules

A vertically integrated cannabis operator urged changes to packaging‑collection rules and to the handling of delinquent accounts to make sustainability and financial processes more workable for licensed retailers. Samantha Woodman, Garden Remedy’s manager of sustainability and regulatory affairs, said the CCC’s current approach to post‑consumer cannabis packaging forces stores to treat any packaging that may contain cannabis residue as regulated waste, requiring specific weighing, tagging and disposal steps that limit how much packaging retailers can accept back. She asked the committee to redefine post‑consumer waste definitions so licensed retailers can inspect and collect more empty packaging for reuse without triggering onerous waste‑disposal steps. On accounts receivable and financing, Garden Remedy supported S.82 (credit/notification mechanics) and asked for notice to be allowed electronically and for an independent overseer (similar to an ADCC arrangement) to manage delinquency procedures; the company also suggested tying delinquency standing to license renewal in a manner consistent with CCC good‑standing requirements. Why it matters: Retailers said small collection limits (e.g., a five‑item return cap per visit) and strict waste protocols discourage reuse programs and increase single‑use packaging. They argued easing collection rules — combined with clear safeguards — would meaningfully improve packaging circularity for an industry that currently relies heavily on single‑use cartons and containers. Ending: Garden Remedy urged lawmakers to include targeted language in H.165 and S.82 to foster recycling and to create workable, transparent mechanisms for delinquent accounts and credit notifications.