ASTM D8500-23

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: D8500 − 23
Standard Guide for
Meeting the Specifications of ASTM D8423
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D8500; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
INTRODUCTION
In the cannabis/hemp industry, fairness in the marketplace for cannabis/hemp products is desired.
Thus, standards for assuring safety, quality, and weight stabilization during key steps of the
cannabis/hemp flowers sojourn are in order. While there are numerous means of meeting or exceeding
the specifications of Specification D8423, additional guidance will provide purveyors who store the
cured crop from the point the packaging process is complete until it is passed to another licensed
operator or to the end user, an assist in meeting or exceeding the specifications.
1. Scope 1.7 Authorities having jurisdiction may have additional or
alternate requirements which shall take precedence or super-
1.1 Specification D8423 covers the environmental
sede this standard.
conditions, such as temperature, humidity, and lighting under
1.8 This standard does not purport to address all of the
which the cured dry cannabis/hemp flowers packaged in fresh
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
format and intended for human use can be maintained in
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
storage to assure the safety, quality, and weight stabilization of
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
the packaged flower. This guide suggests means by which the
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
purveyor of storage of cannabis/hemp can meet those specifi-
1.9 This international standard was developed in accor-
cations.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
1.1.1 This standard does not apply to frozen cannabis/hemp.
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
1.1.2 This standard does not apply to cannabis/hemp in-
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
tended for extraction.
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
1.2 The standard applies to controlling the environment
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
surrounding packaged cannabis/hemp flower during storage,
either within the package itself or in the environment surround-
2. Referenced Documents
ing the package, or both.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.3 This standard is to be followed by licensed operators in
D8196 Practice for Determination of Water Activity (a ) in
w
the cannabis/hemp space who move the packaged crop(s)
Cannabis Flower
through the distribution supply chain to another licensed
D8197 Specification for Maintaining Acceptable Water Ac-
operator or to the end user.
tivity (a ) Range (0.55 to 0.65) for Dry Cannabis Flower
w
1.4 Purveyors of cannabis/hemp flower include, but are not
Intended for Human/Animal Use
necessarily limited to: the packager, transportation companies,
D8233 Guide for Packaging and Labeling of Consumer
warehousing operations, and retail operations.
Resin Cannabis Products for Sale to Adult Consumers,
Legally Authorized Medical Users, and Caregivers in a
1.5 Security of the packaged cannabis/hemp flower while in
Business-to-Consumer Retail Environment (Retailers)
storage is not within the scope of this standard.
D8270 Terminology Relating to Cannabis
1.6 This standard is intended to remain valid until owner-
D8309 Guide for Stability Testing of Cannabis-Based Prod-
ship of the packaged cannabis/hemp flower is transferred to
ucts
another licensed operator or to the final consumer.
1 2
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D37 on Cannabis and For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D37.04 on Processing and Handling. contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Current edition approved May 1, 2023. Published June 2023. DOI: 10.1520/ Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
D8500-23. the ASTM website.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
D8500 − 23
D8423 Specification for Environmental Conditions for Post- placement of packaged cannabis/hemp flower to prevent cross
packaged Storage and Retail Merchandising of Cannabis/ contamination of the various categories of materials and the
Hemp Flower cannabis/hemp flower. In particular, these areas should be
clean, dry (meeting the standards of Specification D8423),
3. Terminology
have adequate air circulation, and be monitored/ validated
3.1 Definitions—General definitions are in accordance with periodically.
6.1.1 For storage of samples intended for laboratory
Terminology D8270, unless otherwise indicated.
analyses, appropriately sized containers, rather than the entire
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
laboratory may be designed to meet the recommendations of
3.2.1 environmental conditions, n—the atmosphere immedi-
this standard. In particular, maintaining proper temperatures
ately surrounding the cannabis/hemp flower, whether contained
and relative humidities surrounding the sample(s) and assuring
within the package in which the flower is contained, or in the
against contamination or cross contamination of samples is
larger space surrounding the package containing the flower.
essential.
3.2.2 relative humidity, n—the relative humidity (RH) of an
6.2 Storage areas should be clean, dry, and capable of
air-water mixture is defined as the ratio of the partial pressure
maintaining air quality. The design and operation should also
of water vapor surrounding the cannabis/hemp flower (pH O)
prevent or limit the accumulation of heat, steam, condensation,
to the equilibrium vapor pressure of water (p*H O) over a flat
or dust if the packaged cannabis/hemp flower is not packaged
surface of pure water at a given temperature.
in a container that has internal environmental control.
RH = pH O / p*H O
2 2
6.2.1 As necessary, consider equipping storage facilities
with close-fitting screens or filters, or both, to prevent the entry
4. Significance and Use
of dust, smoke, steam, odors, and contaminated air.
4.1 Standards and practices for assuring safety, quality, and
6.2.2 A storage facility should be designed, constructed, and
weight stabilization during key steps of the cannabis/hemp
maintained in a manner that permits it to be kept clean and
flowers’ sojourn are in order.
orderly, permits effective cleaning of all its surfaces, prevents
4.2 This standard is intended to assure safety, quality, and the contamination of the packaged cannabis/hemp flower and
weight stabilization of packaged cannabis/hemp flower during prevents the introduction of extraneous substances.
storage. 6.2.3 Regular maintenance and sanitation should be per-
formed within areas where cannabis is stored to avoid product
4.3 This standard is intended to be used by purveyors who
safety or contamination of concern to human health.
store the packaged cured flower between packaging and
6.2.4 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) should be
subsequent transfer to other licensed operators or to the end
accessible by employees and applicable contractors for key
user.
operational elements including: sanitation and inspection of the
4.4 This standard is intended to be used by samplers and
storage facility and incidental equipment used during storage
testing laboratories storing samples prior to laboratory analyses
operations; employee hygiene; distribution, including transfer
to assure that samples analyzed represent as accurately as
and receipt and transfer and shipment of packaged cannabis/
possible, the material that was gathered to provide the sample
hemp flower, managing product on hold or destined for
for analysis.
destruction.
6.3 In accordance with Specification D8423, records shall
5. Monitoring Equipment
be maintained to assure that the specifications of that standard
5.1 Temperature—Device or devices capable of measuring
are met. Records should also be kept of various systems design
temperature to assure specifications of Specification D8423 are
parameters and operating c
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