In the grand scheme of things associated with concerns over cannabis, the last issue most would expect to read about is concern over the smell coming from marijuana cultivation facilities. However, at High Valley Farms outside of Aspen, Colorado, that is exactly what’s happening. High Valley neighbors say the smell from the farm has caused them to stop inviting guests over due to the pungent odor.
Since the farm’s beginning, neighbors have filed numerous complaints. High Valley Farms chief executive and founder Jordan Lewis commented that his business has been working to correct the issue, even going as far as hiring 10 fulltime employees to combat the issue. Failure to get the smell under control could lead to High Valley having their business license revoked.
Controlling the smell from cannabis cultivation is possible; however, it comes at a price—a very high one. Certain advanced technology is available to control drifting smells – hydroxyl systems to name one – but they involved a lengthy install and are expensive upfront.
According to Scott Shank, who works as a purification engineer, installing this type of technology would cost a company somewhere between $1 and $3 per square foot upon installation. While this is quite an expense upfront expenditure for many businesses, fortunately the system is relatively inexpensive to upkeep. Businesses can also choose to install high-end HVAC systems.
Experts remind people in this kind of situation that living near a cannabis growing farm will result in some level of cannabis smell—no filtration system can catch everything. Reaching a middle ground for both cannabis farmers and neighbors can be difficult, but is necessary.
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