Evolution Music Ltd. is on a mission to ensure the healing power of music doesn't come with an unwanted side effect: toxic plastic waste.
The United Kingdom-based company, founded in 2018, has created a new type of vinyl that contains no polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, a type of rigid plastic.
As detailed by New Atlas, vinyl records have become increasingly popular in recent years. Online data platform Statista notes the market grew by 14.2% between 2022 and 2023.
Unfortunately, most plastic is made from dirty fuels, and production of the material is already at an all-time high. In regard to PVC, environmental nonprofit Greenpeace has described the material as the "single most environmentally damaging type of plastic."
Phasing back in more plastics is undesirable at a time when the world is looking for ways to repurpose and cut down on the massive amounts of waste that has exacerbated the rise of global temperatures and harmed our ecosystems, including by causing the starvation of wildlife.
However, Evolution Music's technology can help vinyl lovers enjoy their records in a more eco-friendly way. The company's Evovinyl uses natural materials like sugarcane to produce its albums, according to New Atlas. The manufacturing process itself also requires less energy.
"Testing to date has shown a 30% energy saving if a plant switches entirely to this product," Evolution Music CEO Marc Carey told the online platform. "And it takes 50% less time to press a record, so big energy savings are possible."
The albums can play on traditional turntables, and according to music producer Rob Cass, the sound quality is not compromised by the bioplastic. The industry veteran told New Atlas that he was "speechless when he learnt that [Evovinyl] was made entirely from plants."
Peter Thomas, owner and founder of loudspeaker manufacturer PMC, agreed with that assessment, stating that the "performance is indistinguishable from traditional vinyl." According to the publication, PMC recently invested in Evovinyl to help increase its market availability.
"Our main driver is a genuine concern for the environment," Thomas said. "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."
On its website, Evolution Music explains that its Evovinyl is also recyclable and industrially compostable, which is ultimately part of its end-of-life plan for its products.
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