“K-pop won’t exist on a dead Earth.”
With unrecyclable CDs, is K-pop producing trash?
There are many K-pop fans who buy dozens to hundreds of physical albums to collect their favorite idol’s photocards or to attend fan signing events.
This is because these inclusions can only be obtained by purchasing physical albums with CDs. So, do fans keep all the CDs they buy? Naturally, there is a high probability that they will be discarded. It’s not uncommon for people to buy CDs and immediately throw them away.
Fortunately, both the K-pop industry and fans are quickly changing for the sake of “sustainable fandom.”
The estimated carbon dioxide emissions produced during the production process of a single CD is about 500g. The materials used in CD production, such as polycarbonate and polyester, are petroleum-based plastics, which already contribute to carbon emissions.
The pressing process, which involves heating and compressing the plastic materials, also emits carbon dioxide. For example, if we consider the figure of 500g per CD, the carbon emissions from aespa’s first-week sales alone could reach a staggering 845,000kg (1.69 million CDs × 500g). This is comparable to the carbon emissions generated from flying around the Earth 74 times.
But that’s not the end of it. CDs emit even more carbon during the disposal process. According to the director of the Institute for Resource Circulation and Social-Economy, “(In the past, when CD consumption was high), CDs and cases were sorted for recycling, but now if CDs are not collected separately, they are all thrown away as trash.”
Currently, CDs or double-coated photocards are disposed of as general waste, while non-coated paper photo books can be separated and recycled.
Platform albums without CDs: Is greenwashing a solution?
As criticism of CD waste increased, the entertainment industry quickly took action. They began releasing “platform albums” that do not include CDs. These albums contain the desired photocards while the music and videos can be enjoyed through smartphone apps.
How environmentally friendly are these platform albums? CEO of Mini Record, which has been producing platform albums, explained, “We use FSC-certified (environmentally friendly paper certification) paper for all albums, and since June, we have also stopped using PVC coating, which was the most harmful substance for the environment, in platform albums.”
The Korea Music Content Association also plans to include only albums made of recyclable materials in the Circle Chart starting from July 1st. The CEO predicts that “Last year, the proportion of alternative albums in the Circle Chart was about 4.8%, but this year it is expected to exceed 20%.”
Source: Sedaily.
