Toxic waste from U.S. marijuana farms alarms experts. California officials are looking into the matter, but that won’t do much to curb the black market. The problem is that growers tend to abandon their sites after only a few years, resulting in a toxic waste legacy. Meanwhile, California officials have proposed new regulations on the use of chemicals, but those rules only apply to legal growers.
State officials said the sites were fully cleaned up, but Gabriel’s team found that 30 to 50 percent of chemicals remained on the site. The environmental damage caused by illegal grows could take seven to 10 years. Federal prosecutors in Oregon and Alaska have prosecuted marijuana growers for environmental crimes. The state has been overwhelmed by the number of cases involving pot farms. They often have to burn down the illegal crops on the site or use a helicopter to remove the waste. But these efforts are insufficient.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment assembled a group of subject matter experts to study the risks. This group includes epidemiologists, industrial hygienists, medical doctors, safety professionals, and regulatory specialists. The goal marijuana of the group is to inform employers about the risks and hazards associated with the marijuana industry. By creating awareness and implementing proper occupational health and safety programs, the industry can avoid unnecessary injuries and illnesses.
Researchers also have confirmed that marijuana farmers are putting rare animals at risk by growing illegal marijuana. According to Gabriel’s research, ten percent of the dead fishers were killed by rodenticides. The chemicals are used to suppress the mouse population, which is damaging to the cannabis plants. Workers who are exposed to the toxic waste should also wear personal protective equipment. The risk of bacterial infections is significant.
While marijuana is legal in many parts of the country, illegal cannabis cultivation is a major environmental problem. In fact, illegal marijuana farms divert as much as one-fourth of the region’s water flow. The chemical waste autopilot xxl produced by marijuana farms is incredibly toxic. Experts say that the problem is worse than previously thought. The cost of clean-up can reach $100 million, and the taxpayers may be on the hook for millions of dollars.
According to reports, most illegal U.S. marijuana farms occur in California. While legal marijuana sales will begin next year in California, much of it is illegal. Thousands of acres of forests have turned into toxic dumps. Some law enforcement officers have become sick from accidental contact with the chemical waste. Scores of animals have died. The effects have been so severe that the California state has passed legislation to legalize marijuana production.
The Hirst decision is a significant setback. The high court in Washington state ruled that a new pot farm in Whatcom County could not be approved until it is able to verify that other water-rights interests would not be harmed by the new development. State lawmakers are working on a compromise, but the situation remains murky and complicated. As the largest marijuana industry in the U.S., California regulates outdoor marijuana farms more strictly than any other type of agriculture.