Warwick Music Group has become the first UK music instrument manufacturer to receive the carbon neutral designation with its full range of instruments.

The colourful recyclable ABS plastic instruments, which come in a variety of colours, are all now officially 'green'.

Net zero

The UK's leading sustainability assessor and independent validator, Carbon Footprint, has rated the pBone, pTrumpet, pCornet and pBuzz as having net zero carbon dioxide emissions.

The company, winner of the Queen's Award for Enterprise for its innovation of its first instrument in plastic, the popular and critically acclaimed pBone, is now the world's largest producer of brass instruments manufactured in ABS plastic.

Goal

Speaking to 4BR, Chris Fower (below), Director of Creativity & Innovation at Warwick Music Group (WMG) said: "Our goal has always been to make the joy of music accessible and fun. We chose to produce in plastic because it offers so many advantages over conventional methods.

ABS plastic is widely and easily recycled, is lightweight, has high tensile strength and scratch resistance. It's also available in a multitude of bright colours — but no matter the colour of the instrument, players and teachers can now be assured that our instruments are also the 'green' choice."

Positive impact

Paul McManus, Chief Executive of the Music Industries Association, the trade body for the UK musical instrument industry, praised the company for its achievement.

"Warwick Music Group has rapidly become a world-leading music company through their innovative musical instruments. Their positive impact on young people making music and school music is especially significant.

To have become the first UK musical instrument company with certified carbon-neutral instruments is yet another major milestone in their impressive record of achievements."

Largest seller

Since first going on sale in late 2010, more than half-a-million WMG instruments have been sold, with pBone becoming the largest-selling trombone worldwide. It is reported that 80% of trombones sold are now manufactured in recyclable ABS plastic — all from WMG.

The rigorous independent verification and certification was undertaken by Carbon Footprint of Hampshire using data from a life-cycle assessment produced by Stopford Energy & Environment in association with Keele University, and is over the life cycle of the instrument.

It showed that the average emission of WMG's pCornet, was just 4.8 kgCO2e — equivalent to an average car travelling just 10 miles.

As a company that produces instruments for the next generation of musicians and as parents ourselves, we're very concerned about environmental impactChris Fower

Next generation

Chris Fower added: "As a company that produces instruments for the next generation of musicians and as parents ourselves, we're very concerned about environmental impact.

We have invested in our manufacturing processes to ensure that those considerations are built into our instruments, improved our distribution chain and introduced low-impact packaging.

Our instruments provide great advantages but are also the sustainable-choice comparing favourably with traditional instruments."

Further reductions

Chris revealed that WMG is focused on reducing its CO2 emissions by changing the material for its instrument bags to a more sustainable fabric and using more efficient forms of transportation.

It has also embarked on supporting carbon offset projects in the Sudan and Kenya.