Key Production relaunch Vinyl and CD recycling scheme

Key Production Group, a music manufacturer with over 30 years of experience in vinyl pressing and CD manufacturing, has this week relaunched a UK-wide initiative to recycle unplayable vinyl and CDs. Initially launched in 2020 but paused during the pandemic, the project officially returned on World Recycling Day (March 18) to address the growing problem of plastic waste from physical music formats.

The scheme accepts damaged records, CDs, and their packaging, regardless of condition, with all items sent for responsible recycling. The process involves mechanically shredding and melting materials into recycled PVC or polycarbonate, which can then be repurposed into products such as construction materials, garden furniture, traffic cones, and even mobile phone parts.

Image: Eran Menashri on Unsplash      

Vinyl records, made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and CDs, made from polycarbonate, are plastics that can take centuries to decompose in landfills.

Key Production Group revealed that over 30,000 vinyl records and nearly 80,000 CDs were sent through its recycling facilities last year alone, highlighting a growing need for sustainable disposal options and why the scheme should be welcomed and supported by anyone who invests in physical media. 

“Sustainability is a vital part of our identity here at Key Production Group and the idea to develop Key Production Recycling was born from our commitment to understanding and managing the lifecycle of physical music products, prompting us to ask: what happens when they can no longer be used? We are so excited to be working with labels and record stores across the country and allow the public to utilise something that is so beneficial in extending a product’s lifespan,” said John Service, strategy & sustainability director, of Key Production Group.

The scheme has also seen huge support from established record shops like Rough Trade and Sister Ray, who will be trialling the service, and accepting all kinds of vinyl records, CDs, and their packaging in-store to be sent to be responsibly recycled. 

Rough Trade MD Lawrence Montgomery added: “Being able to provide a solution that’s not only sustainable but that will also have a positive impact on the life cycle of a product is really important to us at Rough Trade. Key Production Recycling is and will continue to be beneficial for us at Rough Trade and our facilities and we’re lucky to be able to use this great system!”

With vinyl sales rising for the 16th year in a row, and big artists dominating the medium with numerous limited editions, coloured releases and more, vinyl waste is something that needs to taken seriously, and Key Production’s recycling scheme offers a significant cultural shift in the industries environmental impact that should be heralded. 

For more information on the process and how you can recycle your damaged vinyl, visit Key Productions website by clicking or tapping - HERE 

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Header image: Clay Banks on Unsplash