Got some old record albums gathering dust on a shelf? A new North Texas pilot program aims to give new life to old vinyl LPs.
VMB Micro LLC recently received a $100,000 grant from the Vinyl Institute and the Vinyl Sustainability Council to support the launch of its Record Vinyl Recycling Project, which will be piloted in the company’s Dallas-Fort Worth facility. The recycling initiative offers the first U.S.-based consumer return infrastructure for vinyl records using micronization technology, the company said.
“VMB Micro’s project exemplifies the innovation and leadership needed to advance sustainability in the vinyl industry,” Jay Thomas, VP of sustainability at the Vinyl Institute and executive director of the Vinyl Sustainability Council, said in a statement. “We’re excited to support this effort, which aligns with our mission to promote recycling, innovation, and environmental stewardship.”
Led by VMB Micro, the Vinyl Record Manufacturers Association, Geared for Green, and the music industry, the project aims to reclaim and upcycle PVC-based records into RebornVinyl from production scrap, legacy inventory, and consumer returns. Using VMB Micro’s patented MicroShear technology, the project will turn whole records into clean material streams suitable for pressing new records and manufacturing innovative vinyl-based products.
Project highlights
VMB Micro outlined several key takeaways from the Record Vinyl Recycling Project:
:: Circular Economy Leadership: The initiative will keep vinyl records from going into landfills, building a scalable, national model for sustainable upcycling at both manufacturing and consumer levels.
:: Advanced Technology: VMB Micro’s MicroShear™ system micronizes vinyl without high-energy melting, preserving material properties and allowing for efficient label and packaging material contamination removal and vinyl material reuse.
:: Industry Collaboration: The project brings together manufacturers, the music industry, and environmental partners to build a transparent, traceable recycling supply chain, including advanced traceability through digital tracking.
:: Pilot Launch: Phase I will commence at VMB Micro’s Dallas/Fort Worth facility, concentrating on infrastructure development, stakeholder outreach, and environmental impact tracking.
:: Broader Impact: The program will also examine recycling solutions for other PVC products, such as pipes, windows, and siding, looking for ways to extend the benefits of circularity to other industries.
“We’re grateful for the Vinyl Institute’s support and look forward to demonstrating how advanced recycling technology and industry collaboration can transform vinyl waste into valuable resources toward a closed-loop recycling system for vinyl records,” said Kirk McAfee, CEO of Virterras Materials, the parent company of VMB Micro.
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