US (CO): Surna decomplicates new odor control rules for Denver cultivators

Last November, the City of Denver released new regulations concerning odor control for cannabis cultivation facilities. Previously, Denver’s Department of Environmental Health (DEH) only mandated odor control plans for facilities that received a certain number of complaints but that is no longer the case. Both existing facilities, as well as new ones, will require an odor control plan going forward or risk financial penalties for non-compliance.

Like all new regulations in this industry, these new odor control rules have proven to be a headache for many cultivators. Facility owners are now faced with retrofitting an existing facility, causing significant frustration. Many facilities are already operating at full capacity, and yet they must now find new space for additional equipment.

Owners are finding the new regulations confusing. The new rules state that facilities must follow best practices to develop an odor control plan. However, as we know, the cannabis industry is so young that best practices do not exist. Instead, DEH has suggested looking at best practices in comparable industries but has provided very little guidance. While the city has been available for individual consultations, many owners and cultivators have found it difficult to find the time to meet with the agency to understand these new rules, leaving many scrambling as the February deadline came and went. Some were able to retrofit their facilities in time but many were not and are now facing financial penalties.

Fortunately, Surna was prepared for these regulations early on. They saw the frustration facility owners were experiencing and provided odor control consulting services, working with the facility owners and the city to ensure compliance.

Read more at the Surna blog.