What are CRC extracts? Are they safe for consumption?

CRC (Color Remediation Column) is a type of cannabis extract made using a process called “column chromatography.” It first began to remove dark colored substances left over from an inferior extraction, signaling its inferior quality to the consumer.

The process makes the extract appear lighter, as lighter color extracts are associated with high quality. The idea was to improve the visual aesthetics of a cannabis extract so that it would sell better.

CRC has become an established practice used by legal and illegal producers to improve the appearance of cannabis extracts. CRC has evolved and is now used to remove pesticides, off-flavors and other desirable by-products.

CRC is most commonly used with butane hash oil. The color of low-quality hash oil changes from almost “black or dark brown to light gold or even white” when subjected to CRC.

What is CRC extraction?

CRC extraction is a post-extraction process that uses technology to improve the appearance of cannabis extracts and concentrates.

In column chromatography, a column (often a steel cylinder) is used and filled with a filtration medium. Common filter media are:

• Activated Fuller’s Earth (for color removal)
• Activated Charcoal (paired with activated silica gel to strip chlorophyll)
• Activated silica gel (used to remove very dark colors from an extract)
• bentonite clay (to remove paint and dirt)
• Diatomaceous Earth (helps create a fine filtering process)
• Magnesol (to remove paint and dirt)
• sand (to remove impurities)
• T5 clay (remove colors and impurities)

The cannabis concentrate is then pushed through filter media, which results in the removal of color-affecting contaminants and other contaminants. Removable contaminants and contaminants (depending on filter media) include:

• chlorophyll
• carotene
• lipids
• lycopene
• pheophytins
• xanthophyll

One of the downsides of CRC is that it also strips a concentrate of its terpene content. The smell indicates whether an extract or concentrate has been subjected to CRC. It may smell like chemicals or smell overly fruity or earthy, suggesting that terpenes may have been added to it to try to restore the original flavor profile.

Photo by eskymaks/Getty Images

Is CRC Wax Bad For You?

This question is up for debate. A producer using CRC will say that CRC is safe, while a cannabis consumer advocate might not.

The debate is rooted in the fact that cannabis lab tests that determine whether a product is safe for consumption do not currently test on CRC filtration media. As a result, a cannabis concentrate can be approved for sale even though it contains impurities from CRC filtration.

RELATED: What Is a Chillum?

Some people believe CRC wax is unsafe because:

• There are no regulations and tests for filter media in the end product
• Long-term studies show that miners who have inhaled bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth have suffered respiratory damage, so vaping extracts containing trace amounts of bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth can cause respiratory damage
• Bentonite clay may have an increased lead content
• Inhaling silica gel can cause respiratory damage
• Manufacturers claim filter materials are safe to use because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rated them “safe,” but the safety approval only applies to ingested foods that could upset the stomach. The approval does not apply to non-inhaled products that affect lung tissue
• When CRC manufacturers force too much extract through a filter medium at once, the filtration does not work properly and leads to contamination in the end product
• Activated charcoal from natural sources can release carcinogenic metabolites such as benzopyrenes
• Not swapping out activated carbon media can result in the activated carbon degrading when overused and releasing heavy metals.

Photo by Cappi Thompson/Getty Images

In theory, if a manufacturer does the CRC extraction properly, the concentrate could come out with fewer contaminants.

RELATED: What Is Kief and How Do You Use It?

If you are concerned about contamination in your cannabis concentrates, ask your budtender if the product you are interested in has been CRC checked and what filter media was used.

Key takeaways on CRC extracts

• CRC or Color Remediation Column is a process used in the cannabis industry to remove impurities from extracts and improve visual aesthetics.
• The debate surrounding CRC wax is whether or not it is safe to consume. At the time of writing, cannabis labs do not test for filter media residues, so it is difficult to say definitively whether or not CRC-processed extracts are safe.
• Long-term exposure to some of the materials used in CRC processing (e.g., bentonite clay and diatomaceous earth) can adversely affect respiratory health.
• If you are interested in purchasing a CRC extract, you can ask your budtender what filtering methods were used.

Start your cannabis wellness journey

Have you started your cannabis wellness journey? Jointly is a new cannabis wellness app designed to help you discover purposeful cannabis use so you can achieve your wellness goals with cannabis and CBD. In the Jointly app, you can find new cannabis products, rate products based on how well they’ve helped you achieve your goals, and track and optimize 15 factors that can impact your cannabis experience. These 15 factors include your dose, the environment you use cannabis in, who you are with when you take it, how hydrated you are, the quality of your diet, how much sleep you got last night, and more. Download the Jointly app on the App Store or Google Play Store to start your cannabis wellness journey.