Members the environmental sustainability committee of Independent Record Pressing, a vinyl record pressing plant located on Bordentown-Hedding Road, hosted a tour for the Bordentown City Green Team on Oct. 21.
The purpose of the tour was for IRP to highlight its Climate Neutral certification and share ways that they are reducing their carbon footprint. The committee includes Sal Roccanova (general manager), Kim Gosselin (accountant), Lynsey O’Brien (human resources manager) and Chris Long (operations manager).
Independent Record Pressing was founded in 2015 by Dave Hansen (Exceleration Music) and Ben Swanson, Chris Swanson and Darius Van Arman (Secretly Group) along with Red Light Management.
IRP began with six vintage Hamilton Presses made in the late 70’s and early 80’s. They now have nine modern and energy efficient presses as well as a new boiler and chiller system. The closed chiller system is designed to use a limited supply of water while keeping the plant cool.
IRP has manufactured more than 14 million records. Artists pressed at IRP include Alabama Shakes, Bad Religion, Big Thief, Bon Iver, Descendants, Elliott Smith, Fela Kuti, Iron Maiden, J Dilla, Mavis Staples, Pharcyde, Phoebe Bridgers, Queens of the Stone Age, Radiohead, Ray Charles, The National, Tim McGraw, Tom Waits, and Slash of Guns N’ Roses.
In 2023, IRP became a Climate Neutral Certified brand. Gosselin explained that the certification shows their commitment towards reducing their carbon footprint. The certification process involves calculating the total tonne of carbon equivalent emissions, setting a reduction plan to reduce emissions, and offsetting those emissions by investing in projects such as hydropower and wind energy.
The tour highlighted the use of reground vinyl compound. Derived from recycled post-industrial vinyl materials, marketed under their IRP EcoMix brand, vinyl regrind is used to make brand new records. IRP says that EcoMix allows it to produce quality records, maintaining high standards in both audio and aesthetics.
Roccanova added that IRP has recycled and repurposed close to 150,000 vinyl records.
Also highlighted were the recycling of shrink wraps and plastic strappings, compound bags, nickel stampers, snack and chip bags, labels and stickers, plastic coffee packets and unused coffee filters, and a variety of other items. IRP employees are encouraged to become involved in the reduction process by looking for ways that waste can be reduced.
For example, employees have reduced using paper, and now bring their own water bottles and mugs, eliminating the purchase of one time use cups. This year, IRP announced that from 2023 to 2024, it reduced its carbon emissions by 17%.
“The tour was both informative and inspiring,” said Bordentown City Green Team co-chair Cathy Elliott-Shaw. “It was gratifying to learn that a successful business in our community continuously evaluates initiatives that mitigate environmental impacts.”
Web: and facebook.com/BCityGreenTeam.
Bordentown City Green Team on tour of Independent Record Pressing in Bordentown.,
