Organization makes the world’s first bio-plastic record of assisting musicians with selling their music in a greener way
Vinyl is getting back in the game, and a British organization says it has made the world’s first bio-plastic record to assist performers with selling their music in a greener way.
Traditional vinyl records are produced using Polyvinyl chloride, normally known as PVC, and portrayed by Greenpeace as “the most environmentally damaging plastic.”
Marc Carey, CEO of Evolution Music, says many individuals are amazed to discover that making vinyl is incredible toxic.
“We know it’s PVC, so there’s chlorine gases. There’s also dioxins,” Carey says.
That led Carey on a four-year journey to reinvent the record, becoming dark vinyl – green.
“I want sustainable products in a 21st century environment,” he says. “So, I had to form a new company and do it myself.”
Evolution Music is reversing the situation, testing an eco-friendly, secret recipe including sugar and starches – turning out records they trust will one day become an industry standard. That is what artists really wanted to hear. Producer Rob Cass explains what sounds he’s searching for when he puts a bio-plastic record on the turntable.
“I’m listening for any pops, crackles, surface noise and that’s very good,” he says.
The Cave Productions chief says he trusts the sound of bio-plastic records rivals viny.
“We believe the quality is extremely high, just about as high as vinyl. Maybe 95 percent,” he says.
Blood Records founder Craig Evans says his jaw dropped when he heard the bioplastic record.
“The first time I heard one of those test pressings, I couldn’t believe what I was listening to was basically made of bioplastic and plant waste,” he says.
R.E.M’s. Michael Stipe and pioneering American artist Beatie Wolfe are among the musicians getting into the groove.
“The artists are increasingly shouting at the labels that we need to be more environmentally aware,” says Evans.
Vinyl sales in the U.S. topped 1-billion dollars last year – a first since the mid-1980s. Evolution Music additionally says once in full production, their profile plastic records will cost about equivalent to vinyl records.
