At KAYA, we want to ensure our practices are as good for the environment as they are for medical cannabis patients across Arizona.
We have a dedication to sustainability and utilize ethanol for clean and effective results. While there are several solvent options across the industry, including butane and CO2, we use ethanol for its ability to safely extract a medicinal cannabis oil that meets our highest standards.
Cannabis and Ethanol
Many have found ethanol to be safer than combustible butane and more effective than wieldy CO2, which uses a large amount of high pressure gas in the extraction process. Ethanol is not a hydrocarbon as a liquid, it is combustible but not explosive, unlike butane. Ethanol burns, rather than exploding. In addition, advancing technology has offered even more successful results. Ethanol provides the most efficient removal of cannabinoids from raw product, leaving only 5% (approx.). That can be compared to butane extractions which comes in at about 30% and CO2, depending on its form (crude vs CO2 shatter) up to 40%.
An average potency breakdown:
CO2 60%
Butane 70%
Ethanol 85-95%
Ethanol is a powerful extraction agent because of its chemical structure.
At a molecular level, one would discover ethanol’s polar and non-polar properties. This means ethanol is able to bond with a variety of molecules at either end. Our Ethanol is 200 proof, kosher, food-grade alcohol. Ethanol leaves the least amount of medicine on the material behind. The result is a full-spectrum oil, incorporating terpenes, a range of cannabinoids, and chlorophyll.
While terpenes and cannabinoids offer a variety of benefits to the user, chlorophyll is unappetizing in any concentrate. Due to polar and non-polar properties of ethanol, it requires an extensive multi-part extraction process which removes all fats, lipids, chlorophylls, sugars, and gums. That system involves cryogenic extraction, full winterization procedures, a three-stage cryogenic process and is finished with a vacuum purge. The result surpasses minimum ppm standards to ensure all solvent is removed, along with potent purity of final products.
Every single batch is sent to Desert Valley Testing, a third-party lab. There they test for potency, residual solvent, mold, and additional testing. We do this for every one of our small batch artisan concentrates.
Environmentally Friendly Extractions
We take sustainability seriously at KAYA. Ethanol, which is a known biofuel, has proven to be an earth-friendly extraction option for a few different reasons. A few aspects we would like to highlight:
- Ethanol can be reusable and naturally derived.
- The FDA classifies ethanol as “Generally Regarded as Safe” or GRAS, meaning it is safe for human contact or consumption. As a result, the use of ethanol fosters a safe workplace, in line with OSHA and FDA standards.
- Proper extraction techniques prove high efficiency – less flower material goes to waste.
KAYA’s Approach
Our ethanol hash oil (EHO) products are cryogenically extracted and vacuum purged to ensure a clean, pure concentrate. We produce a variety of concentrates at our lab, including shatter, wax, sap, crumble and distillate (view our menu for availability). Due to the high potency of extraction from ethanol, some have noticed it can result in a harder shatter. EHO concentrates offer higher levels of THC, CBD and other cannabinoids – a comprehensive, full cannabinoid result creates a full-spectrum medicine —to effectively target a number of ailments. Our diligent team is continually working to improve our techniques to offer the best concentrates for medical marijuana patients.
KAYA’s full line up of products always start with HMH flower and are always available at our home dispensary, High Mountain Health for all levels of users.
Solvent-free concentrates – Bubble Hash, Rosin, Kief
KAYA cartridges—Sol-Stix, Mys-Stix, Rip-Stix
EHO concentrates – Shatter, Sap, Crumble, Sugar Wax
KAYA Wellness— Sutra, Health Oil, Suppositories
