Parchment Paper, Glass, PTFE and Silicone for BHO Containers June 12, 2015 – Posted in: Stoner Education – Tags: , , , , , ,

Your cannabis oil comes in many types of containers, the most common types of packaging are as follows:

  • Parchment Paper
  • PTFE Plastic Sheet
  • Silicone Jars
  • Glass Jars
  • Plastic Jars

Parchment Paper

Chocolate_chip_cookies_on_parchment_paper,_August_2009Parchment paper is most common because it’s economical and easy to source, available in most grocery stores throughout North America. Parchment paper is a high heat paper impregnated with a thin layer of silicone rubber. Silicone rubber is food grade, non-toxic, heat resistant and relatively inexpensive. This rubber adds a non-stick coating that prevents oil and other extracts from adhering to the sheet.

Parchment paper can look a lot like waxed paper, which is often sold alongside parchment paper in the baking aisle. Wax paper is unsuitable for storing cannabis extracts for a number of reasons. First and foremost wax paper has a layer of wax that can become separated from the paper very easily – you can test this by dragging a fingernail across the paper. If your fingernail accumulates a white waxy residue, you know it’s waxed and unfit for use. Your extracts can still stick to waxed paper and peel this layer of wax off with itself, creating a gross wax/cannabis combo that is unfit for dabbing.

PTFE Sheets

Polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE for short is offered as an alternative to parchment paper, as it has similar non-stick properties though it is more costly than parchment paper. Commonly known as Teflon, PTFE is often used in high heat applications contacting food. Some extracts will stick to PTFE despite it’s non-stick nature. Some prefer PTFE because of it’s 100% non-polar nature, which is desired when working with solvents like butane.

Silicone Jars

Silicone jars are our personal favourite here at Common Object. Only platinum cured silicone should be used for storing extracts, with a rating of at least food grade. Some people report that twisting silicone and looking for a white discoloration will indicate its quality and cure method. Pinching and twisting silicone can indicate the presence of filler materials like silica powder, which are used to change the flexibility and strength of the silicone rubber. It’s impossible to tell how the silicone was cured using this type of testing (platinum curing, RTV, peroxide, etc.). Our jars a perfect example of this, while failing the pinch test they are still platinum cured silicone rubber and 100% safe to use with your extracts.

Just like parchment paper, silicone is an ideal candidate for storing sticky products. Silicone is also a great insulator, which can help keep oil from becoming too warm while in a persons pocket. Silicone containers will never break, and should provide a lifetime of hassle free use. Like most other jars, silicone containers can easily hold much more cannabis extract than parchment paper – which can present issues when packaging products like dry sift.

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Silicone containers can come in a variety of colours and shapes, offering a unique opportunity to show off your personality with dabbing containers compared to other storage options.

Glass Jars

Glass jars are a great compromise between inert, heat resistance and appearance or shelf appeal, however glass is not non-stick, unlike silicone.  Glass containers are typically clear with a solid plastic cap which can be attractive when in a dispensary display case. Glass jars are not ideal for storing extracts in our opinion, often being limited to awkward forms that don’t allow for oil to be easily removed without loss.

Plastic Jars

acrylic-dabs-jar

When we say plastic, what we really are referring to is Acrylic. Acrylic is a strong and food-safe plastic that has been used where chemical resistance is required. Acrylic jars offer an attractive container that allows one to see the jar contents directly. This can be useful for dispensaries that keep pre-measured volumes ready for retail sale. Plastic dabs containers offer an airtight seal and so can be better than silicone containers for retaining terpene odours. Acrylic does not offer the same non-stick properties as silicone does, and so some extracts may end up stuck to the container indefinitely – wasting product. Acrylic and most other plastics suffer when faced with high heat. Plastics can off-gas some very hazardous vapours if heated which include methyl methacrylate, a dangerous vapor when inhaled – even in small amounts. Be careful when scraping plastic containers.