PMC invests in plant based vinyl production for records

PMC is backing moves to make vinyl record production more sustainable, by investing in Evolution Music, a UK based company leading development of Evovinyl, a plant-based alternative to PVC which is manufactured from sugar cane.

A compostable product, these new records will have no environmental impact upon disposal.

Global production of records accounts for around 30,000 tonnes of PVC per year, and while that is a small percentage of the 40m tonnes of PVC produced each year, PMC states that every sector has to do its bit to help reduce the damaging effects of this plastic.

PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, has been described by Greenpeace as the ‘most environmentally damaging plastic’  due to its production, use and disposal, all of which result in the release of toxic chlorine-based chemicals which build up in the water, air and food chain.

Peter Thomas, PMC’s founder and chairman, and keen environmentalist, was introduced to Marc Carey, CEO of Evolution Music, by a mutual friend and record producer, Bill Gautier (Paul McCartney, The Cure, Fleet Foxes). “I met with Bill and Marc at Evolution Music’s office where we talked about our shared passions for music, vinyl and the environment. Our conversation made me realise that while we are making products to replay music, and we love the sound and experience of vinyl, the creation of millions of records each year is very bad for the environment. Marc’s quest is a worthy one, of which I was keen to be a part.”

“Our main driver is a genuine concern for the environment. It is not greenwashing, but a real desire to try and do something to remove PVC from our industry. We’re also going to be looking at this technology to see if we can use it to replace the plastic parts in PMC loudspeakers.

“Everyone in the hi-fi industry should get behind this project. It’s not about PMC or me, but something much, much bigger than that. I have heard the latest test pressings and am able to confirm that they sound every bit as good as traditional records. Getting us on board, and hopefully bringing other members of the industry with us on this journey, will bring audiophile acclaim to the new product.”

Marc Carey adds, “Evovinyl also potentially enables the record presses to run at a lower temperature than is required for PVC. Testing to date has shown a 30 per cent energy saving if a plant switches entirely to this product. And it takes 50 per cent less time to press a record, so big energy savings are possible.”

Sound quality has been assessed by industry professionals such as Rob Cass, in-house producer at Abbey Road Studios, who was speechless when he learnt that it was made entirely from plants; and Peter Thomas, who confirms that its performance is indistinguishable from traditional vinyl.

Like vinyl, it can be pressed in any colour in addition to black, and an added advantage of this new material, for audio use, is that it naturally dissipates static, preventing the attraction of dust.

Peter Thomas says at least one major record label has expressed interest in the technology, along with a number of established artists, including a multi-Grammy winning artist who has expressed interest in their next album being pressed using Evovinyl.