- Green Disk. Green Disk is one of the premier recycling organizations in the world. It collects all the VHS and cassette tapes that you have and erases the content.
- My Recycled Bags. My Recycled Bags takes a different approach to recycling VHS tapes. It uses tape to make things like crochets, purses, and bags out of them.
- CD Recycling Center of America. The CD Recycling Center of America is another great organization that takes your unwanted CDs, DVDs, and VHS tapes.
How to recycle, reuse and rid yourself of VHS tapes?
Recycling Organizations
- Green Disk. Green Disk is one of the premier recycling organizations in the world. ...
- My Recycled Bags. My Recycled Bags takes a different approach to recycling VHS tapes. ...
- CD Recycling Center of America. The CD Recycling Center of America is another great organization that takes your unwanted CDs, DVDs, and VHS tapes.
Where can you donate old VHS tapes?
We asked, and you answered! Last week, we posed a question: What are the most difficult items to recycle in Indianapolis ... Electronic waste, like old TVs, can contain toxic materials that ...
Does Best Buy recycle VHS tapes?
In fact, PC Recycle accepts video cassettes only as part of electronic waste collection events sponsored by public agencies. Contact your local recycling coordinator to find out the next event near you. Best Buy stores accept drop off of VHS tapes, although the company’s website indicates stores accept only three items per family per day.
How to repurpose VHS tapes?
Put Them Up for Sale
- Put Them Up for Sale When you find an old box of VHS tapes in your garage or storage unit, they may not look like much. ...
- Send the Old VHS Tapes to a Specialized Recycling Company Now, if you go through your VHS tape collection and don’t find anything of value, or if your collection ...
- Repurpose Them
What should I do with old VHS tapes?
Here are some options.Thrift Stores. Most thrift stores will accept donations of VHS tapes.Green Disk. Green Disk will recycle your old VHS tapes for you.Freecycle. Offer your VHS tapes on Freecycle and hope somebody else wants them.Make Scarecrows. ... Knit With the Tape.
Should I throw my VHS tapes away?
You really shouldn't throw them in the trash because VHS and Betamax tapes are considered magnetic media. The tape can be coated in harmful metals like Chromium, and shouldn't end up in a landfill.
How do you dispose of VHS tapes at home?
The more professional and efficient option is to drill a hole right through the tape. Make sure the tape is rewound and place it on its edge with the left side up. Then drill a hole through the tape to the center of the reel. A 3/16-inch hole should do the job.
Where can I recycle VHS tapes near me?
Step 1: Find an e-waste recycler in your area using the Earth911 recycling search. Step 2: Call and ask if they accept VHS tapes because their policies are changing all the time. Step 3: If there are no e-waste recyclers in your area, visit GreenDisk.com.
Does anyone collect VHS tapes?
Some people collect VHS tapes and Beta tapes, some collect old horror movies, others collect pop culture and movie franchises.
How long do VHS tapes last?
10 to 25 yearsHow Long Do VHS Tapes Last. VHS tape life expectancy varies from one VHS tape to the next. In general, VHS deterioration of 10–20% occurs over a period of 10 to 25 years. Better quality tapes have a slightly longer lifespan, as do VHS tapes that have been kept in a climate-controlled setting.
Can you put old video tapes in the recycle bin?
The Bad News In most local council areas videotapes cannot be put in your plastics kerbside recycling bin because of the chemical content of the tape itself, and even some recycling centres will not accept them.
Can a magnet destroy a VHS tape?
While magnets are used to write information to the tape, they are also used to erase footage from your tape. Since VHS uses an iron oxide as its formula, this makes them very susceptible to magnetic damage. A tape that has been exposed to magnetic damage is nearly always irreparable.
Can you burn old VCR tapes?
Burning things is not environmentally friendly. In the same way, you should not consider burning your VHS tapes. Some have said that burning is an excellent way to erase the data on the VHS tapes, but you can do this through other means. You can use a powerful magnet to rearrange the data and make it unreadable.
Are VHS tapes recyclable in California?
While VHS Tapes are considered e-waste, they are not taken by the Household Hazardous Waste Program. Use this site from CalRecycle to find a recycler for these items. If your items are in good condition, consider donating them.
What can you do with old DVDs?
How To Get Rid of Old DVDsDonate to Others. Donating your old DVDs to others is a great way to get rid of your unwanted disk collection. ... Recycle. Yes, you can recycle your old DVDs! ... Sell. Make some extra cash from your old DVDs by selling them. ... Sell, Recycle & Donate With Zapper.
Are cassette tapes worth anything?
It may seem messed up, but a quality, brand-name cassette tape for home recording may be worth more than the average commercially produced pre-recorded tape today. Blank, unused cassette tapes aren't worth much, but they also aren't worthless. Depending on the quality of tape, they can be worth a few dollars.
Can you put old video tapes in the recycle bin?
The Bad News In most local council areas videotapes cannot be put in your plastics kerbside recycling bin because of the chemical content of the tape itself, and even some recycling centres will not accept them.
Will VHS make a comeback?
The last film released on VHS was back in 2006, so more than ten years later it's not very likely they will be put back into production. The only places you're likely to see VHS for sale is charity shops and car boot sales, and as time goes by it's likely that this will eventually come to an end, too.
Are VHS recorders worth anything?
Still, a lot of folks grew up with this movie and there is demand for VHS copies – especially as an official VHS was never released in the US. If you have an original copy, it can sell for anywhere between $40 – $100 – that's one valuable video tape right there!
Are cassette tapes worth keeping?
The value of cassette tapes varies based on the popularity of the band, the age, and whether or not the music was professionally recorded. Cassette tapes from popular bands are, predictably, more marketable than others. If you've got some Bowie or Def Leppard, you may be in luck!
Why are VHS tapes bad for the environment?
If the metals or plastics reach the incinerator, they can give off toxic fumes that poison the environment. Hence, the extra effort to make sure the VHS tapes don’t end up poisoning the earth is worth it.
Why are VHS tapes important?
Hence, they sit in landfills for thousands of years if not disposed of correctly. Moreover, they have a high probability of poisoning neighboring water supplies if they’re not disposed of correctly.
What is VHS tape made of?
VHS tapes are made from the least biodegradable material on the planet: plastic. A lot of different types of plastics are used in the construction of the casings and tape housings. They’re constructed out of polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate. The ribbon is coated with iron oxide, which is a form of rust.
How many VHS tapes were there in 2005?
In the year 2005, there were approximately 94.5 million VHS tapes still in circulation in the US. While most of the VHS tapes out there are now obsolete, disposing of them is another matter entirely. People either throw them in the trash or keep them in storage as relics. Here’s what you need to know about disposing of VHS tapes.
What is recycling organization?
Recycling organizations exist all around the world to dispose of all types of electronic media. There are some that simply require you to mail in items while others get you in touch with the experts. Whether government-sponsored or privately-owned, these organizations should be your priority.
Can you ship VHS tapes to Green Disk?
The second way is to ship the VHS tapes directly to Green Disk, and they’ll do the rest. Moreover, this helps in disposing of magnetic tapes better since magnetic media is non-biodegradable.
Is VHS tape rusty?
The ribbon is coated with iron oxide, which is a form of rust. Other metals used in the construction of VHS tapes are also hazardous to human health. Hence, disposing of these materials the correct way is paramount, or else it harms the environment. This includes all plants, animals, and humans that come into contact with it.
Is a magnetic tape dangerous?
That’s what allows the tape to carry a magnetic signal. The tapes aren’t dangerous so long as they don’t start to break down, but there’s enough toxic metal there to earn them classification of electronic waste, or “e-waste.”.
Is VHS tape recyclable?
Extrapolated around the world, that’s a whole lot of obsolete plastic, indeed. If only it were that simple. The outer cases of VHS, Betamax and audio cassette tapes are indeed plastic, and at least theoretically recyclable. But you can’t just chuck the whole thing into a recycling bin.
Is mylar plastic recyclable?
The inner tape is made of a phthalate-laden form of the plastic polyethylene, often sold under the trade name Mylar, which is not recyclable. What’s worse, in these magnetic tapes the Mylar is coated with toxic metals, especially chromium. That’s what allows the tape to carry a magnetic signal.
What is VHS tape made of?
The casing on VHS tapes is mostly made of No. 5 plastic or polypropylene, which can be recycled. The inside, on the other hand, is mylar tape, made of No. 1 plastic, which is coated in an assortment of metals that are not so easy to recycle.
What factors affect the price of a tape?
According to GreenCitizen, the condition of the tape, both the external and internal components, will impact price. Other factors include the content and rarity of the tape in question. There are markets and collectors out there, you just have to find the right one.
Does Earth911 take VCRs?
Earth911 has a wonderful recycling locator that can help you find e-waste recycling companies in your area. Some mainstream stores like Best Buy will accept old electronics for recycling, such as VCRs, though you'll have to contact your local store to see if it will take VHS tapes as well.
Can VCRs play VHS tapes?
Believe it or not, some people still have functioning VCRs that will allow them to play VHS tapes. Article continues below advertisement. VHS tapes and VCRs are both generally considered e-waste, and there are many e-waste recycling companies out there that will take them off your hands.
What to do with old VHS tapes?
Another option for all those old VHS tapes is upcycling or reusing them for anything from art projects to purses. A quick Pinterest search will reveal hundreds of ideas and images. Some crafty, artistic folks even turn the tape from old VHS tapes and cassettes into a type of yarn and can create many unique projects like purses and lamps.
Is DVD a dead technology?
Not too long ago DVDs were the best way to watch the newest releases, now DVDs, CDs, cassette tapes along with VHS tapes are prime examples of dead technology. Nowadays, most of us utilize streaming or digital storage, eliminating the need for physical storage of the media, which is more convenient and better for the environment.
Can VHS tapes be recycled?
VHS tapes consist of several different parts and each is difficult to recycle. The outside is made from different types of plastic, which can be recycled. The outside casing is made up of Plastic #5 so once separated from the tape inside it can be recycled. However, the tape inside is made up of plastic #1, which itself is recyclable, ...
Can you recycle DVDs in the curbside recycling bin?
Curbside recycling programs do not accept DVDs and CDs because they get caught in the sorting machines, but both the discs themselves and the plastic cases are recyclable. While it is possible to recycle all of those unwanted DVDs and CDs piled up in your garage or closet, the neighborhood recycling bin is not the place.
