This blog explores the importance of hygiene management in the cannabis industry which is vital when it comes to medical and pharmaceutical-grade cannabis.
As the cannabis industry continues to grow around the globe, new technologies are being introduced to produce better quality products and novel ways of increasing the production of cannabis.
Just recently in South Africa, a company in Paarl, Cape Town, developed an innovative way to “extract cannabidiol isolate from locally cultivated cannabis.” “This innovation, which is the first of its kind in the country, has been developed by Afriplex, a Paarl-based facility in collaboration with the Cannabis Research Institute.” reported in City Press article.
The article goes on to report: “Arno Roux, the facility’s managing director, said the cannabidiol market would continue to grow in SA, and with a technology like this, growth would be accelerated even more.”
Roux also mentioned that “by 2026, the local market is estimated to be worth R406.3 million.”
While research is ongoing regarding the benefits and uses of cannabis and CBD oils, the industry continues to adhere to strict hygiene management as can be expected in this Industry.
Managing Hygiene in the medical and pharmaceutical cannabis industry
In the Cannabis industry, it goes without saying that there should be a huge focus on cleanliness and hygiene across the entire supply chain – from cultivation, manufacturing, testing, distribution, delivery, retail and everything in between.
That’s why the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and export purposes follow the strict guidelines of SAHPRA which include GMC and GACP compliance, as well as SA legislation as per DALRRD, and current global standards.
Just recently in South Africa, a company in Paarl, Cape Town, developed an innovative way to “extract cannabidiol isolate from locally cultivated cannabis.” “This innovation, which is the first of its kind in the country, has been developed by Afriplex, a Paarl-based facility in collaboration with the Cannabis Research Institute.” reported in City Press article.
The article goes on to report: “Arno Roux, the facility’s managing director, said the cannabidiol market would continue to grow in SA, and with a technology like this, growth would be accelerated even more.”
Roux also mentioned that “by 2026, the local market is estimated to be worth R406.3 million.”
Hygiene experts in our field
In both our Rentokil and Initial businesses we understand the need for the strictest pest control, hygiene and medical solutions in highly regulated environments and take our guidance from SAHPRA.
The SAHPRA guidance document says: “Buildings must be designed in a manner that protects crops against pests and domestic animals.”, and “Decontamination of the storage area to combat pests must be carried out only where necessary and by authorized personnel.”
Rentokil’s pest principle begins with excluding and restricting pest entry points and access to food sources. Excluding and restricting pests like rodents, ants or flies from a growing facility is imperative in this industry as pests can destroy a crop, contaminate or spread disease. Non-toxic baits and traps are used where possible.
Rentokil’s myRentokil online platform allows our customers the visibility to keep up to date with the services completed on-site, and recommendations provided by our teams, all from a virtual platform. From your home or office (or even when you’re on holiday) you can access your site maps, check on the status of services done, view the recommendations made by our technical teams and even analyse trends. The myRentokil online platform is ISO27001 certified, which is an international standard for information security management and this means that you can have complete confidence that your data is secure.
Hygiene compliance
Hygiene levels in the Cannabis industry need to adhere to strict medical regulations and regular audits are carried out. Protective clothing must be worn in designated areas and all personnel entrusted with handling herbal material must maintain proper personal hygiene to ensure that the quality of processing, manufacturing, and production of Cannabis and Cannabis-related products are not compromised.
Initial are the experts in hygiene and our high standards of hygiene and cleanliness will keep your bathrooms and staff facilities germ-free and reduce the risk of cross-contamination in your facility. Our range of soaps includes SANS-approved hand hygiene soaps and sanitisers for the food and beverage and medical industries. There can’t be anything worse than working in such a highly regulated hygienic environment and having a smelly bathroom or one that does not provide adequate hand hygiene solutions for their employees.
In some cases, cannabis growers install hand sanitising units at the entrances of the grow rooms and use fly screens and curtains inside the entrances, as well as sanitising ‘foot baths’ or mats to decontaminate the soles of your shoes before entering.
At Rentokil Initial, we can even disinfect the vehicle transporting your packed goods – making sure your product is protected right up until it reaches the retailer.
Air quality in cannabis production
Air quality is an important topic in general and more so in grow rooms. Fans are sometimes used to regulate airflow and humidity. Without these airflow systems, grow rooms can become a breeding ground for pathogens and pests which could have detrimental effects on a crop.
Some larger cannabis cultivators use HEPA-grade filters to filter incoming air along with their heating, ventilation and HVAC systems.
At Initial, we understand the movement of air and the importance for us to breath clean air. Swiss technology company IQAir released its 2022 World Air Quality report last week and South Africa ranked 13th out of 19 African nations.
Initial’s VIRUSKILLER™ air purification units can kill 99.9999% of viruses in a single air pass. Installing these units will improve your air quality and stop the airborne transmission of pathogens, moulds, fungi and so on.
Medical waste disposal
Disposing of medical waste is a high priority in this industry. With so many disturbing news articles about medical waste being disposed of in open fields or dump sites (which is not only unhygienic and dangerous for waste pickers, but also unethical). Initial offers various container or disposal options for the segregation of waste along with full cradle-to-grave traceability especially of medical and pharmaceutical waste.
Our Pharmaceutical waste disposal service includes the disposal of schedule 1 to schedule 7 medications, and we also have separate disposal units for sharps, soft or clinical tissue, cytotoxic waste and contaminated food waste to suit your requirements.
In all the reading material on growing medical cannabis successfully, it is imperative that a proper plan is in place from the initial start-up following all the necessary regulations. Sourcing the best quality starting materials, clones, seeds or whatever you need must be of the highest quality and standard for the intended purpose. During every stage of the growth or process, the strictest levels of hygiene must be adhered to with a strong focus on cross-contamination and guarding against pests.
Whether you’re growing cannabis for the export market or for the manufacture of medicinal supplements, Initial can take care of your hygiene needs. Contact Initial to book your free hygiene survey and learn more about our services or how we can support you
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