how to dispose of cds and dvds

Reason #3: The more we waste, the more we make. If they are in good condition they should ideally be passed on to someone else who can use them. CDs and DVDs – if you’re anything like most people, your home is probably full of them! Download software and games and subscribe to streaming services for your music and movies. Trade/Sell Them at Your Local Record Store Make sure to call ahead before you traipse on down to the record store. 2. (Since CDs qualify for media mail shipping, your shipping costs should be reasonable.) It’s highly likely that your plastic waste will outlast the human race – if this isn’t a good argument against disposal, we don’t know what is. Today we're talking about how to dispose of CDs and DVDs (along with their homes). As an alternative recycling company for your old album CDs, DVD films and computer games, you can earn money by recycling them at … CD/DVD cases are made out of polystyrene (yep, the same materials as many food containers – although it looks completely different). If you are in the USA you may also want to check the, Lawn Mower Disposal: How to Recycle & Scrap Your Old Lawn Mower. Even though CDs and DVDs can’t be placed in your single-stream recycling bin, Millennium Waste offers residential service that include bi-weekly, curbside recycling along with weekly trash collection. Where can I dispose of old cassette tapes … No. for a single CD to completely decompose in a landfill. }. Compact disc – or CD … If you have a microscope handy, put the disc in it and you can see the pits. “Electrical appliances are made up of a broad range of materials including precious metals (such as gold and platinum), toxic heavy metals, metal circuitry, mixed plastics, fire retardants and glass. It is easy to recycle and can be put through recycling over and over again. There are recyclingcenters all over the country that accept DVDs and will properly process them to be recycled. At the same time, recycling reduces the need to mine virgin materials and the use of natural … But what happens when you have unwanted ones? 3. Making these products is draining out natural resources. These include dioxins, hydrochloric acid, and sulfur dioxide. Recycle. Find recycling options: Once you’ve prepared your DVDs and CDs for recycling, find a local collection center that will responsibly dispose of these used storage items. You have a few options for recycling your CDs. Polystyrene can also be recycled. We even handle e-waste such as CDs and DVDs waiting to be recycled, amongst all others. They’ve raised more than $44 million for charity through their recycling efforts and their programs operate worldwide. Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic as well as flame-retardants can cause environmental contamination through leaching from e-waste in landfill into water systems. Y… If the CDs and DVDs are in mint condition and the titles are popular with collectors you might be able to sell them to a used media store in your area or check out SecondSpin.com. Your CD might end up as a mobile phone, in traffic lights, used as cladding, as more discs, or in many other items. 2. Nearly 75% of US-produced aluminum is recycled. The company that we suggest that works internationally is. Resources like Planet Ark are super useful – try and take advantage of them. A CD/DVD is made of both metal and plastic. Australia. There are lots of websites where you can turn your old and unwanted CDs, DVDs and Games into cash in one free and simple process. 2. 1. The company that we suggest that works internationally is Terracycle. These include dioxins, hydrochloric acid, and sulfur dioxide. Dispose of the shredded waste as per the instructions on your shredder. What about CD/DVD players and other devices? siteads.queue.push( {"site":"lifehacker","pagetype":"article","ad_type":"article","sec":"life","amp":false,"ctype":"article","article":"how to properly dispose of your old cds and dvds","article-tags":["au","environment","home","recycling"],"native":["null"],"aggregate":["au","environment","home","recycling"],"pageID":["null"],"sub-sec":"home","cat":"life","cat1":"home","ad_location":"out-of-page-mobile","provider":"google-dfp","element_id":"ad-slot_out-of-page-mobile_section-index-1"} ); CD Recycling Center of America explains that CDs (and DVDs too) contain a number of materials that are perfectly recyclable, such as aluminum, polycarbonate, lacquer and gold. What to Do with Old CDs and DVDs. If you have any CDs, DVDs or cases that you would like to be recycled then please visit their website: www.reproplastics.co.uk. The last time we spoke cleaning hacks (or disposing hacks, rather) we took a look at how to properly get rid of mattresses. Because of the issues of separating the materials, DVD/CDs are not acceptable in a single stream recycling process and can’t be put in your recycling bins for collection. If you need to buy blank CDs or DVDs, buy ones that can be rewritten, so you can use them again and again. If you are preparing to dispose of DVDs … Advertisement. To manufacture a pound of plastic (30 CDs per pound), it requires 300 cubic feet of natural gas, 2 cups of crude oil and 24 gallons of water. If you have some old discs you want to get rid of, considering donating them to a charitable second-hand store. . Now, with online streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, it is hard to justify a towering display of DVDs in your living room. 3 Reasons You Should Avoid Throwing Away Your CDs & DVDs, Reason #1: Plastic lasts forever (almost). The end of the year is a great time to get into a serious tidy up at home. Instead of going for the standard bin option, Planet Ark shares that you should be looking to have CDs and DVDs “repaired or recycled to recover resources”. Now you’ll be able to clear those stacks of unwanted CDs and DVDs out of the closet and know that you aren’t polluting the Earth in the process. If you have sensitive information on your CD, use a shredder that can shred CDs. Privacy Policy. Give them away on Freecycle, Freegle and ReUseIt recycling groups. *** UPDATE 4/2/2020 ***. Remember, it is not just music CDs and DVDs that are part of this problem; millions of boxes of software go to landfills every year as well. Some second-hand stores may … We’ve also investigated recycling batteries; getting rid of grease and oil; and what to do with old VHS tapes. Reduce the demand for CD/DVDs. if (typeof siteads.queue !== 'undefined') { 1. Can they go in the recycling? Disc recycling processes can recover about 98% … Making 30 new DVDs takes 30 cubic feet of natural gas, 0.47 liters of crude oil, and 24 gallons of water. Yes and no. 2. So why not just pulverize the disc into dust? Can you recycle CDs, DVDs and BluRays? If you have a bag full of Vanilla Ice, Insane Clown … It is estimated that it will take 1 million years for a single CD to completely decompose in a landfill. How to dispose of CDs and DVDs. Instead, send them to a specialist company for recycling. Disc recycling say “For individuals or small businesses we can provide a specially designed box that holds up to 400 CD, DVD, Blu-Ray discs ( 7.1 Kg ) A £30 charge covers, delivery and return postage cost, secure processing & recycling.” Rachel emailed and told me about Polymer Recycling who say: We are happy to accept postal/courier deliveries of unwanted CDs, DVDs … Finally, throwing away your CDs and DVDs only increases our need for more. It is technically possible to recover data from shredded/broken/etc CDs and DVDs. Especially if you’re taking advantage of the 2020 Black Friday sales, you’re likely going to be accumulating a lot of ‘stuff’ over the next few months, so cleaning house and getting rid of all those odd bits and pieces you no longer need is probably a good idea. For this reason, you can’t put them in your recycling bins for collection. By recycling, this contamination can be avoided and useful resources can be conserved, as up to 95% of materials can be recovered for reuse.”. That is the natural gas equivalent of heating 200,000 homes for 1 year ; A CD can take 1 million years to decompose in a landfill; CDs … These fragments are then loaded into a special machine that will remove any ink residue metal and lacquer. If you need to buy blank CDs or DVDs, buy ones that can be rewritten, so you can use them again and again. Now, on to the topic at hand! By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use and Despite being very strong, these plastics are fully recyclable and produce a profitable yield for plastic recyclers. You can also reuse CDs in craft projects. It Hurts to Say Goodbye: Eight Ways to Leave Your CD Collection . If you have old DVD players, gaming consoles, radios or any other kind of e-waste, it’s also important that you properly dispose … Before continuing on with the topic of recycling CDs, let me first share with you a brief background of what a CD is. All types and formats of CDs and DVDs can be recycled, enabling the recovery of valuable resources such as polycarbonate (a type of plastic) and aluminium for reuse in the manufacture of other products. 150 cubic feet of natural gas, 1 cup of crude oil and 12 gallons of water are required to manufacture 15 CD (1/2 a pound of plastic) It is estimated that AOL alone has distributed more than 2 billion CDs. Don’t put your CDs and DVDs in the waste disposal. If you’ve come across an old collection of discs that have no place in your life and want to get rid of them, please be warned that you cannot just toss them in the bin. Click the blue-button below to learn more. But, there are specialist recycling services that can recycle them, so you certainly shouldn’t put them in your waste either! Finally, throwing away your CDs and DVDs only increases our need for more. Enter your email below. CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays in good condition. }. Shopping for second-hand items is also a good idea. Reason #2: CD/DVDs can release toxic chemicals if incinerated, Plastic waste that finds its way into incinerators results in the release of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. Find a drop-off location for CDs and tapes near you using the Recycling Locator. London Recycling. Give them to friends or family or swap them rather than buying something new to replace them. }. You as an individual have the responsibility for ensuring that your waste does not pollute the land, pollute the air, or use unnecessary and increasingly scarce resources. Due to the current Pandemic Crisis, The CD Recycling Center has changed its submission guidelines. The bulk of the CD is made from a plastic called polycarbonate. Making 30 new DVDs takes 30 cubic feet of natural gas, 0.47 liters of crude oil, and 24 gallons of water. Hold up, press that pause button because did you know that CD’s + DVD’s take 1 MILLION years to break down + decompose? Resell. The disc can be reassembled and the data can be reconstructed — minus the data that was physically destroyed. CD jackets are office paper, and VHS tape sleeves are paperboard. Many of these recyclers will also take your used DVD and CD … Plastic does not biodegrade, so if you throw your CD or DVD in the waste, it will sit in the ground forever. There’s still a market for … Unfortunately, this means that many of these products end up in the trash instead, even though there are specialist recycling services available that can turn waste discs into new products. CD and DVD Repurposing tips – Take old music and video CD/DVD’s to … Plastic waste that finds its way into incinerators results in the release of toxic chemicals into the atmosphere. Free CD/DVD Recycling & Free Hard Drive Recycling services are offered by Back Thru The Future Technology Disposal to consumers. If you have CDs or DVDs you longer need, consider the following options: Charity shops often accept CDs and DVDs for re-sale. Reduce the demand for CD/DVDs. Owning DVDs used to be the best way to watch movies at home. Our Terms of use and Privacy Policy recycling over and over again for second-hand items is also good... Collect ‘ end of life ’ equipment for recycling and reusing at how to dispose of CD. 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