Over the course of the next few weeks, Europavox’s team of journalists will explore what european music is up to regarding sustainability, carbon impact reduction and other new best practices for a greener music business. For this first episode, let’s tackle a very symbolic niche of the industry : vinyls and their plastic components.
Most people in the music industry have welcomed the vinyl resurgence with open arms, and with good reason. A return to fans purchasing physical copies – and the attendant financial benefits – along with reaffirming the idea of an album, and its sleeve, as a standalone concept and piece of art, are certainly to be celebrated. But this revival has a hidden cost – its environmental impact.
Specifically, plastic. Researchers at Keele University have estimated that each vinyl record typically contains around 135g of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) material and has a carbon footprint of 0.5kg of CO2 (this doesn’t take into account transport and packaging). Part of the problem is that the manufacture of vinyl – and its reliance on oil – has remained virtually unchanged since the late 1940s, but several companies are experimenting with new technology to lessen vinyl’s dependence on oil and in turn to make the process more sustainable.
“An environmentally friendly alternative production process for vinyl records”, boasts the website for Green Vinyl Records, a collaboration between eight Dutch companies geared towards creating “a new generation of vinyl”. Their records are non-PVC, and do not use chlorine or steam, which they claim confers several benefits: energy savings of over 60%, 25% lower production costs, a faster manufacturing process, and less impact on the environment and health.
“It sounds and feels like vinyl, but it’s better for the environment,” says Harm Theunisse of Symcon B.V., one of the companies involved. And it’s not just a case of replacing PVC in the process with more durable, less harmful alternatives that are 100% recyclable – Green Vinyl has also developed a clean, low-energy injection moulding process to replace traditional pressing. It’s all part of their stated aim to “create and maintain that familiar vinyl record feeling, but with new materials and manufacturing processes.”
The UK’s Evolution Music has gone one step further – they’ve created the world’s first bioplastic LP. While the process – and the machinery – remain the same, their vinyl is made from a sugar cane-derived eco-plastic. And it’s not just the record itself; they’re also investigating “people and planet friendly packaging and distribution solutions”, a crucial part of their stated goal of creating “a simply positive product…that will accelerate the evolution of the music industry to become earth-friendly and socially responsible.”
Then there’s Evolution Music’s recent project with Bye Bye Plastic and another pioneering development – the world’s first bacteria-made vinyl record. Made entirely by microorganisms through bacterial fermentation, the biopolymer used for these records is a highly novel material. Classed in the PHA family, the final product will be fully earth-compliant and compostable and biodegradable in any environment. Scalability is still insured, as the records once again utilise the same manufacturing infrastructure used for traditional vinyl pressings.
Credit picture : Toni Villen at the Amsterdam Dance Event
Waste, and the issue of unused or unsold production stock, is the problem that Discomaton, a small French company, aims to solve. They do vinyl per unit, without stock, so artists and labels only press what they need. The vinyl is also customizable – the colours, shape, and design can all be produced to your exact specification, as can the covers and inlay. In addition, turnaround is a mere two weeks, meaning a physical release for spontaneous new singles and one-off songs is now possible.
The music industry has long been fertile ground for creativity and innovation, and while it’s traditionally been artists who were considered forward-thinking, the same ethos is now being applied to other aspects of production, and the companies above are leading the way. The time for change is now. They are answering the call.
