Certain plants and other organisms have been known to clean up contaminated soil and groundwater. This is known as bioremediation, an affordable and ecological method of remediation compared to chemical and mechanical processes. When discussing hemp’s environmental impact and how hemp and other plants can clean toxins from the earth, it’s called phytoremediation. Phytoremediation is the intentional use of plants for the removal of contaminants in soils, sludges, sediments, surface water, and groundwater.
Hemp’s Environmental Impact on Heavy Metals and Other Contaminants through Phytoremediation
Hemp’s environmental impact is a positive one, as it can heal contaminated soil and water. Hemp has some profound healing effects on your body as well. Consider that hemp can also make an ideal fiber (better than cotton) and oil (with the perfect balance of Omegas); one might ask – “what can’t hemp do?”
For starters, hemp can’t be illegal anymore – and we are blessed with changing policies worldwide, making hemp mankind’s most trusted ally from the plant kingdom.
Hemp is an ideal choice for phytoremediation because it’s fast-growing, has deep roots, and is unaffected by the toxins it accumulates from the soil and the air. While hemp is cleaning soil, it also acts as a carbon sink to reduce greenhouse gases.
Cadmium, a heavy metal, is one of the major pollutants in soil, and hemp’s environmental impact has demonstrated that it can eliminate this pollutant. Certain types of hemp have been studied and recommended for phytoremediation of cadmium so we can remove this heavy metal from our soils.1 With thousands of contaminated sites in the United States alone, hemp can prove an efficient and eco-friendly way to clean up our industrial mess.
Hemp Testing and Consuming Only Organically Certified Hemp
If you consume hemp products, it’s important to know where the hemp came from, considering you may be consuming toxins that a hemp plant just soaked out of the ground. This is especially applicable when hemp is concentrated in oil or products like CBD. The CBD concentrate can ultimately contain more toxins than the plant itself. The hemp you want to use for medicine and food should be grown at an organically certified farm, as well as tested for toxins, heavy metals, and other contaminants.
CBD lab tests are done at Ojai Energetics, showing that the hemp we use is grown in clean soil, without the use of pesticides and chemicals. Due to hemp’s environmental impact and phytoremediation abilities, any cannabis product you consume should be tested before consumption.
The hemp or cannabis-based medicine you consume should be free of mold, pesticides, and heavy metals. This is crucial, especially if you have an acute illness. You won’t want to consume the hemp that just sucked the toxins out of the ground in your food or medicine; however, once the phytoremediation hemp is grown, it can safely be converted into fuel.
While state legislation has some mandatory testing requirements, testing hemp is left up to companies and consumers.2 Ojai Energetics is one of the few cannabis and water-soluble CBD companies that chooses to provide clean medicine, grown on clean land. You can get clean hemp products that have been lab-tested from our team at Ojai Energetics.
Read about Ojai Energetics and SoCal Farm’s unveiling of their hemp farm.
Additional Reading
- Will Kleidon Shares Best Practices for Hemp Farming & Production
- Why Ojai? Our CBD Technology and Difference
- What Is CBD and How Can It Benefit You?
Sources:
[1] Springer Link – Cadmium Tolerance and Bioaccumulation of 18 Hemp Accessions
[2] California Cannabis CPA – What to Know About California’s Cannabis Testing Requirements
Blog Updated April 2020
