A vinyl recycling pilot backed by Warner Music Group and GZ Media is expanding to 11 independent record stores across the United States, giving collectors a way to drop off unplayable records for repurposing into new pressings.
The participating shops, which include Amoeba Music in Los Angeles, Rough Trade NYC in New York, Home Rule Records in Washington, D.C., and Reckless Records in Chicago, will serve as collection points. Unwanted vinyl will be picked up by Virterras Materials, a company that handles complex waste streams.
The initiative follows a pilot that shredded 10,000 unsold records and repressed them using various blends of new and recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Audio professionals at London’s Abbey Road Studios tested the resulting pressings.
“Independent record stores have long served as gathering places for music fans and stewards of music culture,” said Madeleine Smith, senior director at Warner Music Group. “This is a vital first step in understanding what’s possible.”
“What impressed me was how consistent the pressings were across the different material blends, showing that sustainability and sound quality do not have to be at odds,” said Miles Showell, mastering engineer at Abbey Road Studios. The blend of 25% recycled PVC with 75% new vinyl material delivered the highest sound quality.
In 2025, Key Production Group launched a vinyl and CD recycling scheme in the UK.
