Hemp plant bringing much-needed jobs to Ohio town

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In Ohio, a new, hemp-based building materials plant is expected to bring hundreds of jobs to economically depressed Glenville.

North Coast Natural Solutions says it will eventually produce Hempcrete—a biodegradable, recyclable alternative to concrete—at a vacant plant on Kirby Avenue. Initially, the facility will manufacture straws, plastics, textiles, and CBD oils.

A third of Glenville residents live in poverty, and a fifth are unemployed.

“[Glenville] was [once] a very vibrant community. It was an industrial park, and there were a lot of businesses here,” local pastor Aaron Phillips tells News 5 Cleveland. “Crime is very high. Unemployment is very high. Schools are very poor.”

The plant is expected to begin production in June 2019.