Definition

In Metrc, Waste is defined as marijuana or marijuana items that have been rendered unusable, including the stalks, stems and branches of the marijuana plant. Waste cannot be sold or transferred to a consumer. Methods to render unusable marijuana vary by product type and where a facility is located. For additional information on waste for recreational marijuana facilities, please see the OLCC's fact sheet on waste management or the Department of Environmental Quality's cannabis website.

Waste at Recreational Facilities

For recreational licensees most waste must be retained on the licensed premises under camera coverage in a limited access area for 3 business days. This is to provide the OLCC with an opportunity to verify the quantity of waste. The 3 business day retention period begins when it has been recorded as waste in Metrc (see below section). The only waste not required to be retained for 3 business days prior to disposal is waste generated from pruning a plant that is still being cultivated (e.g. cutting off fan leaves) or if a whole plant less than 24 inches tall is destroyed. This type of waste must still be rendered unusable but does not need to be retained prior to disposal.

Recreational Licensees have the privilege to transfer waste to various license types. Any license-to-license transfer, including waste, must be recorded on a transfer manifest. If a licensee chooses to transfer waste it must be tagged as a package with the item type of "waste" and retained for two separate 3 business day periods: first by the sender when it has been packaged as waste and then by the receiver once it has been adjusted as waste.

As long as all rules and requirements are met, licensees may at any time waste out product that has: 1. not been tested, 2. passed testing, or 3. failed for a test other than pesticides. Product that has failed pesticide testing must be retained on the licensed premises under camera coverage in a limited access area until the OLCC issues a destruction order that details when and how the product must be destroyed. Until that time it may not be disposed of.

For OLCC's rules on waste retention and disposal requirements see OAR 845-025-7750. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) oversees waste management and disposal; see DEQ's cannabis website for details and contact information.

Waste at Medical Facilities

Harvest waste must be reported against the Harvest Batch in Metrc. OLCC does not provide guidance regarding post-harvest waste for medical marijuana growers.
For plant, usable marijuana, marijuana item destruction refer to the OHA's Destruction of Medical Marijuana page.

Tracking in Metrc

Waste that comes from a Metrc package or harvest batch must be recorded in Metrc as a package adjustment. A whole plant dying or being destroyed must be recorded in Metrc for the relevant immature batch or vegetative/flowering plant. OLCC does not require waste off of a living plant (e.g. cutting off fan leaves) to be recorded in Metrc, but licensees may choose to record such activity under plant waste.

Waste that is being transferred to another licensee must be in a package properly categorized as "waste." Do not adjust a package for waste and then transfer it to another licensee. Any license-to-license transfer, including of waste, must be recorded on a transfer manifest.

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