Vinyl records are back, but they're polluting the planet. These labels are trying to help

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Sorry to rain on your all-analog parade.It’s no secret that vinyl records’ resurgence has hit a new plateau, outselling CDs for the first time since 1987 as of 2022, according to a report from the Recording Industry Assn.of America.

Three years later, its year-end report flaunts another statistic: Vinyl record sales surpassed $1 billion in 2025 — the first time since 1983.But there’s an inevitable downside to anything that’s partially made of liquid dinosaur bones.Modern vinyl records are crafted with PVC resin, which makes up more than 75% of an average disk The synthetic polymer itself is made of chlorine and fossil fuel-derived feed stock.To put its harm in perspective, a first-of-its-kind report from Vinyl Alliance, published in June 2024, found that 50% of a record’s carbon emissions come from this resin.

The carbon footprint of a single LP was estimated to be roughly equal to the pollution a gas-powered vehicle emits over a three-mile trip.It adds up quick, considering that 46.8 million new records were sold last year.

Thankfully, it’s not all grim.Music Keanu Reeves’ L.A.-based alt-rock band reunited for a 2023 album.

Now it’s just released another.Organizations like Music Declares Emergency and the Music Climate Pact initiative are coming together to address the issue.A campaign by the groups — in collaboration with record labels and distribution teams at Secretly Group, Exceleration Music, Warp Records, Ninja Tune and Beggars Group — features titles pressed on 100% reclaimed material.The release, set in tandem with World Environment Day on Friday, boasts marquee titles such as Elliott Smith’s “Roman Candle,” Bon Iver’s “For Emma, Forever Ago” and Dinosaur Jr.’s “You’re Living All Over Me.”“What we found talking to a lot of our artists and to customers is that … they are concerned about the environment, and they want t...