Your Record Collection May Not Be 'Green' But Here's What You Can Do To Help

With the comeback of vinyl records throughout the 21st century, the concern over their environmental impact has skyrocketed and the question of their sustainability has been brought up countless times. Records are more or less impossible to recycle via domestic bins, and there is really no clear instruction on how the discs can be reused beyond their natural lifetime.

Vinyl is the only physical form of music that cannot be safely, readily recycled. While cassettes are recyclable into their component parts and CDs can be upcycled into the production of concretes and plastics, vinyl is a PVC product containing toxic chlorides - which can cause serious harm if subjected to the regular recycling processes.

PVC can be safely recycled via the correct means, however, and Australia has its own dedicated plants for doing so. Vinyl Council Australia is a collective that is championing the use of recycled PVCs, and has its own database of locations around the country that accept the products. Unfortunately, at this stage, vinyl records are not listed anywhere on the site, so appropriately disposing of them is not apparently viable.

There are more grassroots efforts to reuse old vinyl, with initiatives such as the Vinyl Deposit Scheme being at the forefront. They are offering rebates for recycled vinyls returned to participating vendors, in a system that echoes the aluminium can and plastic bottle rebates of South Australia. It is currently a small-scale operation when compared with the overall production of records worldwide, but any start is a good one.

What is worth noting, however, is that studies are now showing the carbon footprint created by music streaming is actually worse than the peak production era of vinyl or CDs. Services such as Spotify do have their own carbon offsetting plans in action, but at this stage it only covers their advertising sector, and no options are in place for either customers or artists on the platform.

With this in mind, it’s hard to see what the consumer can actually do right now to help reduce the footprint that vinyl is having on the environment. However, there are a few things that can be done straight away to get ball rolling.

So what can you do about it?

The first and most immediate thing you can do at this stage is to ensure your records are living as long as possible - thus limiting the need for re-purchasing. Keeping them out of direct sunlight and away from moisture, heat, or anything else that will damage the surface of the vinyl is key to making them last. As well as maximising the longevity of your LPs, this will also ensure their highest quality when you want to donate or sell them to local record stores so they can pass them on as second-hand.

This is the next stage in the process: if you haven’t listened to some of your records in a long time, consider passing them on so the accumulative purchasing of records is brought down. 

One of the contributing factors to vinyl becoming popular once again is the notion of a “collection” and how more is more when it comes to owning LPs. Treat records as you would any other sort of music or media: if you’re not using it or enjoying it, find someone who will. As well as this, invest in the cost of repairs for your favourite albums instead of replacing them when a scratch occurs. Many record and specialist stereo stores will offer repairs where possible, so see if it can be saved before doubling down.

If you’re concerned about the impact of your records, reach out to the manufacturers and ask them what they’re doing to help offset their emissions. Find out what their plans are for the future, and if they’re looking towards alternatives such as ocean vinyl (records made from recycled micro-plastics salvaged from the ocean) for the future. While these alternatives are not yet a viable option for widespread change, they are well worth the time for manufacturers to investigate. In turn, supporting local manufacturers will also help reduce the overall carbon footprint by reducing the shipping and travel emissions that are factored into the item. 

There is also an argument to be made that audiophiles may need to adjust their expectations somewhat in order to achieve a greener hobby. 

According to interviews conducted for Bloomberg Law, US-based Gotta Groove Records were once experimenting with plastic-based recyclable materials for a new style of record. However, the project was stalled when the new compound didn’t deliver the same sense of “quality” could not be achieved. This being the case, vinyl lovers may have to start expecting a different result from the norm if they are to convert to a more ethical material.

PVC-based records are likely not going away anytime soon, so in the meantime, there is plenty to be done to help keep your vinyl-based footprint from getting out of hand.