PRESS RELEASE
By: Newsworthy.ai
December 16, 2024
Introducing The Environmental & Consumer Compliance Organization (ECCO)
The Environmental & Consumer Compliance Organization (ECCO) is a new nonprofit, voluntary brand certification for California cannabis products. Committed to ensuring consumer confidence in product safety and quality, ECCO randomly tests their member brand's products monthly for 100+ contaminants to ensure continued adherence and compliance to the highest safety and quality standards.
Building Confidence and Inspiring Change
ECCO was founded to gather a coalition of the most ethical operators in the industry to self-regulate for the greater benefit of consumers. Its origin was seeded in response to an exposé on cannabis safety in the summer of 2024, which revealed that numerous state-compliant brands contained banned substances and chemicals that can be harmful to consumers. ECCO’s founding members, Ford Smith (Ultranative), Trent Overholt (Noble Pacific), Thomas Martin (Raw Garden), and Elliot Lewis (Catalyst) formed the nonprofit organization to address the current standards for cannabis safety, contaminant testing and quality assurance that, to date, have fallen short of protecting consumers and lack consistency for the industry.
"We believe everyone deserves safe, clean products. By combining rigorous testing with public accountability, ECCO inspires a healthier, more transparent cannabis marketplace. Together, we can transform the future of cannabis. Whether you’re a consumer seeking trusted products or a brand committed to excellence, ECCO is here to lead the way—one certification at a time." — Ford Smith, Co-Founder of The Environmental & Consumer Compliance Organization (ECCO)
Certification Process
ECCO’s process is designed to uphold the highest standards while promoting trust and accountability.
- Preliminary Enrollment - Brands begin by completing a form to calculate dues, supporting product testing and marketing within the ECCO-System.
- Onboarding - ECCO schedules a call to confirm initial evaluation timeline, initial testing, and monthly dues.
- Monthly Testing - Each month, ECCO randomly selects and tests two product SKUs from certified brands by purchasing in-person at a CA retailer. Products are tested at accredited labs for 100+ contaminants to ensure compliance with ECCO Certification Standards.
- Certification and Transparency - Products that meet ECCO standards are certified for 12 months, allowing brands to display the ECCO Certification Mark. Results are published online to enhance consumer confidence.
- Annual Recertification - Brands renew certification through a streamlined process, ensuring continued compliance and accountability.
Interested brands may contact apply@eccocert.org
Adapting to Evolving Risks
At least once each quarter, ECCO updates its standards to address newly identified contaminants and risks. This proactive approach ensures alignment with emerging research, further protecting consumer health.
Why Choose ECCO?
When a product carries the ECCO mark, it’s a symbol of trust. Consumers can be confident that certified brands prioritize safety, sustainability, and transparency. For brands, ECCO certification offers a powerful way to lead, differentiate, and build lasting trust.
“The consumer deserves more transparency than what is currently provided by the cannabis industry. Programs like ECCO will help clean operators who care about quality and cleanliness stand out in a very crowded market.” — Thomas Martin, Founding Member of ECCO and CEO of Raw Garden
Founding Members & Advisory Board
- Sylvia Rzepniewski, Interim Executive Director of ECCO
Founding Members
- Elliot Lewis, Catalyst
- Thomas Martin, Raw Garden
- Trent Overholt, Noble Pacific
- Ford Smith, Ultranative
Technical Advisory Committee
- Kevin Brooks, Conception Nurseries
- Zach Eisenberg, Anresco Laboratories
- Kevin Kroeger, Raw Garden
- Trent Overholt, Noble Pacific
- Josh Swider, Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs
- Gary Vandenberghe, LEEF
Advisory Board Members
- Nate Ferguson, Jetty Extracts
- Ned Fussell, Cannacraft
- Brooks Jorgensen, Kiva Sales & Service
- Jen Seo, Nabis
- Josh Swider, Infinite Chemical Analysis Labs
CONTACT
For more information please visit www.eccocert.org
Follow @ECCO_Certified on LinkedIn, @ECCO_cert on Instagram, and @ECCOcert on X
For interviews or press opportunities, please contact alexandra@weareprismatics.com
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