Sonopress Will Release a New EcoCD Using 90% Recycled Polycarbonate
- Martina
- 02 July 2024, Tuesday
Earlier this month, the British band Coldplay announced that their forthcoming album, Moon Music, will be released using unprecedented sustainable measures. As we reported in our previous article, this new record will be available on a limited ‘River Plastic’ Vinyl LP made entirely of discarded, floating plastic. Additionally, the album will be released on a CD made from 90% recycled polycarbonate.
A CD with a substantially lower carbon footprint
The new EcoCD was developed by Sonopress, a CD and DVD replication business of the German conglomerate Bertelsmann. Back in March 2024, the company released the world’s first EcoRecord using recyclable polyethylene terephthalate (PET). After the project's success, Sonopress developed strict sustainability regulations and criteria for the new product to achieve a similar impact.
The EcoCD is made of 90% recycled polycarbonate sourced from post-consumer waste streams assembled by various non-profit organizations, including The Ocean Cleanup. Only 10% of the starting material is made of new fossil-based plastic. Sonopress employs modified conventional injection molding machines to accommodate the polycarbonate’s specific viscosity and other properties during production.
Overall, the new sustainable CD is expected to emit a 78% lower carbon footprint (compared to a classical CD) and avoid the creation of more than five metric tonnes of virgin plastic, thereby reducing our collective environmental footprint.
Coldplay’s album is available for pre-order now, and the delivery date is expected to be October 4, 2024. It is yet unknown whether other artists will use the EcoCD for their physical releases. Perhaps Coldplay will lead the way in popularizing the use of the material. In addition to its sustainability, fans will surely appreciate its affordability, priced at just $14.99.
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