The Vinyl Record Manufacturers Association (VRMA) and the Vinyl Alliance have published the vinyl record industry’s First Carbon Footprinting Report, examining the environmental impact and emissions generated from manufacturing and distributing vinyl records.
The report analyzes data gathered from this pre-playback portion of a vinyl record’s lifespan, comprising one year of emissions data from London pressing plant Vinyl Factory Manufacturing Ltd., Sheffield stamper manufacturer Stamper Discs, and Bristol cutting studio Optimum Mastering.
The VRMA and Vinyl Alliance note that carbon footprints will vary by manufacturer but “hope this report will encourage many more businesses in the supply chain to participate,” according to the study.
The report found that a standard, black, 140g vinyl record produces just over 1 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. Good news for vinyl enthusiasts—that’s less than the carbon footprint of 1 pint of cow’s milk, according to the study. However, this footprint increases by 14% for 180g records and 19% for 200g. Special colors and spatter designs see emissions rise by 26%.
Elsewhere, the report notes that 50% of a vinyl record’s carbon emissions come from the PVC compound used to press the records, and another 30% are from energy consumption at the factory. Print packaging, like jackets, inserts, and sleeves, comprise 13% of vinyl’s carbon footprint, according to the report.
The VRMA and Vinyl Alliance suggest substituting these PVC compounds with “bio-attributed” hydrocarbons, which could reduce vinyl’s carbon footprint to 0.7kg of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. Other footprint-minimizing recommendations include pressing exclusively on 140g vinyl, simplifying packaging, and reducing air freight shipments.
“In an age of planned obsolescence, vinyl has some things in its favour,” the report reads. “Records are cherished for generations. They don’t degrade, rarely go to landfill, but instead move from collection to collection, or continue their lives in charity shops.”
“At the same time, they have traditionally been made from a plastic compound derived from fossil fuel, in an energy intensive process.” the report continues. “We hope this report—and a series of subsequent updates—encourages everyone in the vinyl record industry to be radically transparent about the environmental impact of making vinyl records, and what steps we can take to reduce that impact.”
Read the VRMA and Vinyl Alliance’s full report here.
Featured image from Unsplash.com.
