Scotland’s Seabass Vinyl certified as UK’s first carbon neutral vinyl pressing plant

East Lothian vinyl pressing plant Seabass Vinyl has been recognised as the first carbon neutral plant in the UK, Resident Advisor reports.

The firm – which opened in October 2023 as Scotland’s first-ever vinyl pressing plant – has been officially certified by carbon offsetting initiative Carbon Neutral Britain, and hopes to become “the most sustainable pressing plant in the world”.

Co-founder Dominique Harvey told RA: “Being officially carbon neutral-certified is a major milestone for us. We're the first pressing plant in the UK to achieve this and, we think, in the world.”

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“It's important for us and incredibly important for our customers that we minimise our environmental impact while manufacturing records of the highest quality,” she added.

In order to offset carbon emissions, Seabass Vinyl generates its own energy using solar and wind power, recycles offcuts taken from pressings, and uses bio-vinyl made from used cooking oil in certain pressings.

The plant has also put “significant additional investment in cooling and boiler equipment to minimize energy consumption”, and operates with a “highly insulated and airtight factory to minimise energy loss”.

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“Our goal is to become the most sustainable vinyl pressing plant in the world,” they explain. “This ambition informed our plant design and drives the approach we take across all our services and operations.”

Seabass Vinyl was launched in 2023 by Dominique and David Harvey as an independent, family-run business in East Lothian, just outside of Edinburgh.

The plant works alongside the Sound of Young Scotland award, aiming to “positively impact the Scottish music industry” and make “meaningful contributions” through its initiatives.

[Via Resident Advisor]

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter