Decoding Humidity: The Next Frontier in Sustainable Cannabis Storage

Wilson Huang and Sandra Shen – ATMOSIScience Inc.

Background:

Traditional humidity control methods for cannabis storage often rely on single-use plastics and non-biodegradable materials, leading to environmental concerns. Additionally, these traditional materials suffer from low accuracy, limited capacity, and poor applicability. This study aims to develop high-performance, biodegradable, and reusable humidity control materials that not only outperform traditional methods but also are eco-friendly.

Methods:

The study adopts a comprehensive, multi-dimensional approach, covering:

1. Formulation of biodegradable humidity control composites aimed at precise humidity control within an RH range of 30-90%, and a moisture capacity not less than 10% within the target RH value ±5%.
2. Selection of plant fiber-based substrates, emphasizing biodegradability and reusability.
3. Evaluation of eco-friendly manufacturing processes, including coating techniques and microwave drying processes.

Quantitative methods for assessing moisture capacity, absorption/desorption rates, and humidity accuracy were established. Various combinations of inorganic salts, organic salts, and alcohols were examined for full coverage within the RH 30-90% range.

Results:

The study led to the development of a patented, biodegradable formula for humidity control composition. This new formula showed significantly better moisture absorption and desorption capacity than traditional, non-biodegradable materials. It was also found that the rate at which fiber-based, biodegradable humidity control materials reach moisture balance is inversely proportional to their thickness. The study also highlighted that the permeability of the packaging material is the key determinant of humidity control speed, not the absorption/desorption rate of the humidity control material itself.

Discussion:

Our patented, biodegradable technology effectively combines various types of humidity control materials to achieve superior performance while maintaining safety and environmental standards. The study also led to the development of “humidity control articles,” consisting of a multi-layer or porous structure coated with the humidity control composition. These articles are not only high-performing but also biodegradable and reusable, showing a moisture absorption and desorption capacity greater than 10% of their own weight within any humidity value of RH±5%.

Conclusion:

The study confirms the efficacy of our patented, biodegradable, and reusable humidity control materials and articles in providing high-performance, safe, and environmentally responsible solutions for cannabis storage. They significantly outperform traditional methods, which often rely on single-use plastics and non-biodegradable materials, in moisture retention, absorption, and microbial inhibition. This makes them a compelling and responsible choice for future applications in the cannabis storage sector.