Residents living near a cannabis cultivation facility in the polder region outside Hellevoetsluis, the Netherlands, continue to raise concerns about persistent odor issues. This week, the story made national headlines through media outlets including Hart van Nederland, Brabants Dagblad, and a segment on NPO Radio 1's EenVandaag, which also published a detailed report on the situation.
During Thursday's radio broadcast, the team investigated claims from frustrated locals that the company behind the greenhouse, CanAdelaar, is generating €2 million in revenue per week - while allegedly doing "nothing" to address the smell complaints.
However, the report added nuance to the narrative. We reported that the company has, in fact, invested in odor-control technologies and adapted its operational procedures to reduce emissions. These efforts were observed firsthand during a site visit, where the pungent aroma of the cannabis crop was present, but clear efforts to mitigate it were evident.
CanAdelaar acknowledges that the plants do emit a strong smell, but suggests that part of the problem may stem from residents' discomfort with an unfamiliar odor. As company representatives pointed out, manure smells are also common in the polder and are similarly unpleasant - but familiar.
Meanwhile, the company is engaged in legal proceedings to contest fines issued following environmental inspections.
Not 2 million
The claim that 2 million in revenue is generated per week is also nuanced on the radio. Crime journalist Mick van Wely cites figures showing that legal cannabis production is lucrative, but not that lucrative. The ministry calculates with 28 grams per plant, with 1 cycle every 3 months, Van Wely notes, further pointing to production figures from two medium-sized farms in Groningen. They say they harvest 8000 kilograms per year. At a sales price of 10 euros per kilo, you then reach 80 million euros per year. There are 52 weeks in a year, and then you reach about 1.5 million euros in revenue, and costs are deducted from that. So not 2 million in revenue per week, as CanAdelaar also denies in a response to EenVandaag.
The widely circulated claim that CanAdelaar is generating €2 million in weekly revenue was also put into perspective during the EenVandaag radio segment. Crime journalist Mick van Wely pointed to industry data that shows legal cannabis cultivation can be profitable—but not to the extent some residents have suggested. Referencing official estimates from the Dutch Ministry of Health, van Wely explained that each plant yields around 28 grams of cannabis, with a typical harvest occurring once every three months. He also cited production data from two medium-sized growers in the northern province of Groningen, who report harvesting around 8,000 kilograms per year. At a selling price of €10 per gram, that would amount to approximately €80 million in annual revenue across the full year - translating to roughly €1.5 million per week, before costs. So while the industry is certainly generating significant income, the idea of a €2 million weekly turnover appears to be exaggerated. CanAdelaar also firmly denied the figure in its response to EenVandaag.